Entertaining Angels
by Cat Luckey
Summary: John and Aeryn Face What Fate had Left Them and Grayza's Doomsday Machine
1. Abandoned

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Entertaining Angels

by Catluckey

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Summary: John searches for Aeryn and finds her. But they must pick up from where fate had left them. Meanwhile, a doomsday machine released by Commandant Grayza threatens to destroy three planets... one which Crichton feels responsible for. This became an AU since Farscape has developed and ended.

Author's Notes: Taken directly after Dog with Two Bones, I wanted to include everything I loved about Farscape--John and Aeryn, a little D'Argo, Chiana, and Sikozu, worlds that whet our imagination; and most of all, romance, comedy, and troubles.

Beta readers: Ennix Sun, Eva, Julia, Phi Phi Trelk, and ScaperRed (thank you, ScaperRed for helping me complete this fic)

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Disclaimer: Henson, Creation, the characters, belong to them. Adu, Palimous, the Regent, & other extras are mine. No money exchanged, no profit involved. It's just Fun!  
**Rating: PG-13** - Adult themes, some violence

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Genre: Action & Adventure/Drama/Comedy/Romance

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Pairing: John and Aeryn

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Author: Catluckey

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Chapter 1 - Abandoned

"I am going to die," John said, muttering to himself. Commander John Crichton, IASA astronaut with a PhD in theoretical science, sat in his familiar position, squeezed in a small space--all the room his module allotted for--seats for two by a view lit with stars for candlelight and blackness for backdrop. 

Only one thing, his pod hung in space by a spindle of oxygen and fuel. He leaned forward to check his oxygen and fuel gauge, hoping for more time. He had only about a half an arn, no...twenty-five minutes, left of oxygen--the fuel, two solar days worth only if his craft floated, any propulsion—zip, all gone in microts. 

"Yep, it's zero hour," he said, voice deepened with a southern slur. "It's doomsday for your friendly Commander on hiatus." _Moya_, a biomechanoid, a living ship, him and his friends had occupied was sucked through a wormhole just arns ago, leaving him stranded.

"God!" John slammed his hand against the console. _Proactive measures...should've taken proactive measures._ Of all the times he ensured his module was fueled with cesium and equipped with extra oxygen tanks, he had to run out. He remembered what caused this breach of carelessness. Just arns ago the only one he loved beyond hope, Aeryn, had said before he flipped that stupid coin, flashing it before her.

"What? Like that side up, you stay?" 

He had confronted her that he was either going with her, or she stay with him. She pushed him away. He flipped that coin because one time she had told him that they were in the hands of fate, they had to trust in that. "If it's fate for us to be together," she had told him, "then we'll be together." Yeah, it wasn't fate...she was running away.

"Fly safe," Aeryn told him on her departure with tears. "Goodbye, John Crichton." 

How many microns had passed when he rehearsed the thought of her leaving without trusting him? John felt a grip squeeze his heart. He rubbed his hands over his face. It felt hot, no...cold. It was stale inside and his mouth was parched like sandpaper. He slammed his hand against the console again and cursed, ignoring the pain. She left without telling him her condition.

__

Aeryn? 

And Harvey helped unlock what the old woman had said and whispered in John's subconscious. Like a knife the words lanced his heart: 

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Be forgiving, be kind. 

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Better angels, 

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Her life, her world, on her time, 

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You will know. 

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Aeryn is with child.

John wrestled in his position, "I was coming for you, baby. I was going to get you back. But everything's changed." Why didn't he stay on _Moya_ and bring his emotions under control? He missed that dance to be with her.

He smashed his fist on the console again, seeing small yellow and red indicator lights blink in protest. He frelled up one last time. John relaxed in the seat. His breathing labored. He laughed, with lungs burning, tears mingling with sweat.

Humankind...Earth beware. 

His eyes blurred and his heart broke. _It's all gone bad. God, don't know if you hear me, but I heard you created this melting pot of the cosmos and holy terror._

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They need help, he cried within.

__

...Aeryn is with child.

Tears welled more in John's eyes, he shook his head. "I won't be able to see my kid. Well, the other guy's kid, but he's mine. Protect him. And...and," the air was almost depleted, he felt delirious, "Aeryn...protect her. She's a soldier, strong, needs a little guidance in the heart area. You know what I mean, headstrong but gold through and through." John shook his head and released a dry laugh. "She's got...no home anymore, like me. Help her...find a place to...belong." John's voice trailed away. _Hard to breathe, talk._ "I'm signing off." _This is...John Crichton...somewhere in the Uncharted Territories._

"Dear, dear John," Harvey said, diffidently. The neural clone of Scorpius emerged from John's subconscious once again. "Please keep with the theatrics, we have no time. I have for you a viable way to proceed with survival."

"Ohh no, get out of my head and let me die in peace," John said, shaking his head, seeing the black reptilian masked image and skeletal features. _Zero Hour, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, you got nothing on this._

"Ahh," Harvey interrupted again, "but I believe your God wishes you to live. Why look in that compartment you were incessantly hitting."

John wouldn't budge. "Stick to your own bad advice."

"Tisk, tisk. You must remember stashing emergency supplies and drugs for times such as this. Come now, I saw how you stored them. You had decided upon the given fact of the incident in the flax. Remember?"

John did remember, but he took those precautions long after Aeryn and he were trapped in an invisible net that drained their pod's energy. He reminisced the kiss they passionately shared, desperate for their lives because the oxygen was almost gone. But he couldn't have stashed the supplies directly after that incident...it was long afterwards, probably depleted long ago.

"Go away, Harvey."

"I'm saving you, John...move your fingers to the compartment and open it." John arduously reached, trembling, and opened the lid. "That's it!" Harvey clapped his hands and John took the Sebacean syringe.

Harvey continued, "Before you apply, this will give you two days of low oxygen in your bloodstream. However, for the most part, you will be unconscious. And if you are revived in time, you will be in a simulated coma. I believe, lasting a few more solar days. I must say I look forward to the long nap with you."

__

Thanks for warning me, roomie. John couldn't speak anymore and gave Harvey the fleeting thought, then rolled his eyes. Before John poked the syringe in his forearm, Harvey continued.

"And, John, turn on your emergency beacon, so someone can rescue you in time. I do want to wake. " John hurt when he leaned forward to click on the beacon flasher and comm system voice message. "Now, select the coded frequency. You know I don't want you to fall into the enemies' hands." John wheezed while flicking the range that transmitted the distress calls in code. "Now, you can apply the shot."

John took the syringe, every movement painful, and plunged it into his flesh. The fiery liquid forced itself through his veins, sensational eruptions occurred within him. Suddenly, he convulsed and fell back into the seat while the ebony walls of unconsciousness blanketed him. It didn't matter if friend or foe found him in this violent universe. He was good as dead. 

Somewhere in acute silence, John wondered, _Am I in heaven?_ Ivory, like Rome's coliseums, enveloped him, rain cleansed his fears, and bright clouds of mercy grazed his lips. _An angel?_

Words drifted, echoed through his emptiness...softly...

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You said fate is what brought us together. If that is so, then we'll be together again. Goodbye, John Crichton.

Then...nothing.


	2. Intrepid

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Chapter 2 - Intrepid

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Time. 

It only took four microns, give or take, for a human's brain to exist without oxygen. There would have been no reviving the human, only death would have followed. For Aeryn, it took all she had learned from John to resuscitate him during their isolation in the flax. Now, it was almost an arn after the human's oxygen supply depleted. Now, she would find her fears realized again. 

__

To be alone.

***

"Scout One, do you see anything?" Aeryn yelled through her comms.

"Intrepid, Sector Three is clear," Kendrell said, not five metras behind Aeryn's Prowler, speeding his delta-winged fighter to fly alongside hers. 

"I see something!" Kendrell checked the tiny dots moving closer at a considerable speed, more noticeable than the dusting of stars. "Three, straight ahead! Watch your back, Intrepid, they've returned for more."

"Then we'll toast them!" Aeryn took the Prowler's controls, banked her Prowler, then shot into chase. She was shocked at what spewed from her lips..._Crichton's euphemism_. Can't she ever forget him, even during battle? 

Two fighters came streaking from nowhere, but Aeryn was primed and ready. One fighter was above her, the other reeling around to confuse and cause her to stall. The circling ship planted itself port, facing her with a relentless aim. At forty degrees, she angled away from the trap as they blasted their plasma fire. Then, as far as space allowed, she shot upward. They followed to their demise. Her cocky turn and thrust forward surprised them. Like sitting asteroids in a row, she incinerated both enemy fighters while her comm relayed Kendrell's cry for help. 

"I'm hit! I'm hit!" Kendrell voice was barely distinguishable above the static.

"I'll cover you, while you escape. You cannot stay, Scout One. Can you hear me? Return to the base. Can you hear me?"

No response.

Aeryn saw yellow flashes race by her Prowler. She had no time to recover Kendrell. She would do that after she completed the mission. She banked her fighter to miss another round of plasma fire. It was adrenalin that kept her in tune with precision, as well as her hair-pin responsive ship. It was fear that she embraced during battle situations, and to taste it on her tongue propelled her to kill or resist being killed. 

But this one mercenary ship that hit Kendrell's, which they presumed was a Charrid fighter hired by the Scarrans, had to be left alive. As mandated by Aeryn's mission leader of this elite assassin ex-Peacekeeper group, they were to shoot and destroy them and leave one survivor to bring news of a Peacekeeper assault on their crafts. Though Kendrell was not an ex-Peacekeeper but a valuable rogue, his ship was painted to appear as the same markings as Aeryn's to be identified as Peackekeepers. 

Aeryn, not being a politician, knew this was to deter the treaty between the Scarrans and Peacekeepers and was the only version told to her and her comrades of two days old.

Aeryn followed the ship, shooting intermittently, purposely missing after hitting it without being disabled. She followed the fighter as it shot out of scanner range into the ink blackness. Suddenly, she became aware of something.

"Scout One, if you can hear me, I have pursued the enemy craft out of Sector Three. I believe we are near the Leviathan burial grounds. I've just passed a Leviathan. It appears to be alive. You may be able to dock there. Do you hear me, Scout One?"

Areyn's heart raced, her brow tightened. She was becoming concerned for Kendrell and started to turn her Prowler to backtrack when she noticed her comm met an intermittent voice code, a distress call breaking through. Aeryn slowed her Prowler and tried to link into the code when she saw a familiar sight. At starboard, she saw the white pod, floating aimlessly where _Moya _should have been. 

Aeryn frantically held onto the tip of her radio comm, "Scout One, I've found something!"

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Farscape One module...John's ship!

"Intrepid, do you hear me?" Kendrell finally answered.

Aeryn relieved and tense all at once, still groped the tip of her comm and blurting out something undistinguishable to Kendrell. 

"John, his pod, _Moya_, where are they? They are supposed to be here."

"Intrepid, I am not receiving you."

Aeryn instantly changed her frequency to match _Moya_'s once again. "John Crichton, do you hear me? Respond!" _Frell!_ No answer, only that distress call repeating.

"Intrepid," Kendrell's voice interrupted her, crackling, full of static, "I'm running out of fuel, I need to land somewhere."

"Try the Leviathan on my trajectory. You'll find it. I need to investigate this. Will you land there and wait for my return?"

"I see it! I hope they'll net me in. The pilot hasn't responded."

"Then wait, I'll be returning soon."

* * *

She tethered her Prowler to _Farscape One_, ensuring its security, and like a towing barge she flew it into the derelict Leviathan with Kendrell waiting in the docking bay. Stench met Aeryn's nostrils when she exited her craft. Unlike _Moya_, this ship had little to no illumination. The walls were peeling with cables twisted, torn overhead, like exposed veins of a dying Budong. Truly, it appeared the vessel was preparing to die. But the dock was durable enough to hold the three crafts as the shadows seemed to swallow them.

"What's that contraption?" Kendrall said, arms akimbo, nodding toward the _Farscape _module. Captain Adu Kendrell stood, dark skinned, like the underbelly shell of _Moya_, with brick-sprayed thick hair. A coy smile appeared as Aeryn climbed the ladder up the module and hurriedly lifted its canopy. 

Aeryn turned sharply to face Kendrell without losing balance. "Don't ever go mute on me when I comm you!"

Kendrell raised his arms, standing on the docking floor. "I was hit! My comms blacked out!" Then he pointed to the module, "And who's here to greet us?" 

"Frell, stop blabbing and help me! We have to revive him if he's to live."

"He?"

"Yes...he...Crichton." Aeryn rolled her eyes as she thought how helpful Kendrell had been since she joined the squad. She didn't understand why he had taken a liking to her so quickly. But then, she didn't understand John's unrequited love of her either. 

Aeryn moved over, leaning against the module and allowed Kendrell to reach in to unbuckle and prop the unconscious human over his shoulder. She would have lifted him herself, but her body had not been sustaining strenuous labor and bulk weight as before. She would need to spar and exercise more often. 

They climbed down the module. Kendrell plopped the limp form on the bay floor before her feet. Aeryn flashed her lantern light on John. The dark surrendered to the light, revealing his chiseled features. So near death--why did he appear worse? Beforehand, Areyn knew there was life left in John when she had entered his module prior tethering it. But now his breathing was too shallow and his complexion became extremely pallor in contrast to the once robust, virile man from Earth.

While on the old Leviathan's docking floor, Aeryn quickly began the resuscitation maneuver. She opened John's mouth, closed his nose and as taught by him, breathed into his lungs every fifteen seconds, pumped his chest, hoping to revive him. Then a frantic resolve overtook her, a panic...he must wake. She tried again, that familiar fear reacting again within her. It permeated her until her hands trembled and her chest squeezed tight. He may not survive. Try again. 

***

Kendrell stood watching this remarkable female, ebony hair uncontainable, flowing over the unconscious one, trying to revive an already drug administered being. He stood a while, chuckling, seeing her struggle with the creature.

"It's useless, Officer," Kendrell said.

She kept counting, like an automated computer..."one...two...three...fifteen"...then she breathed into him, pumped his heart, listened, and started the routine again. Fruitless.

Kendrell continued, "I have experience in these things if you want to know. As much as I'd like you to be successful, this maneuver won't work, only some of the drugs I have in my scout will do."

Aeryn stopped abruptly, She appeared not wanting to leave her task. "What do you mean?"

That's what mesmerized him. Her orbs, huge, pleading, a steel gray, like the sky of his world. They sparkled with welled tears. If she were different, the species of his kind, he would make her his mate. But, alas, it was good to befriend this one. She needed a comrade. And he needed someone strong and smart on his side.

Having been a Peacekeeper, I would have thought you'd have recognized that he's drug induced, inoculated with oxygen. That's the only way he could've survived this long in his condition. Look."

Kendrell crouched beside the body, showed Aeryn the reddened, purple, mark in John's arm and exposed vein made by a crude instrument, unlike modernized Peacekeeper tools that left one scar less.

Aeryn pushed her hair back, locked eyes with Kendrell, "Then we must do something, now!"

***

While Kendrell fetched the aids, Aeryn bent over John's chest to hear his heartbeat. Still faint. She fidgeted, had to do something. "Pilot?" She called for the old vessel's navigator that Kendrell had already contacted before she arrived. 

"Pilot? Are you there?"

An old voice sounded through the walls, a female voice, sleepy, disjointed. "Yes?"

"Are you all right?"

"I am so sorry. It is so hard to stay awake."

"We did not mean to intrude, but someone needed aid, and we discovered Crichton." Then she said more to herself, "hopefully in time." Aeryn looked away from the light, "Pilot, I wanted to thank you for helping us."

The shaking voice came forth, "Crichton is his name? _Elack _and I are always glad to serve you and...and...oh my...what were you saying?" The voice trailed away while Aeryn thought no need to press any further.

Kendrell came trotting back with the life saving supplies. He held up an ochre catheter tube and a chrome probe that tapered to a sharp point.

"This," Kendrell said, "will sustain him by absorbing bladder fluids within his system. Then when he wakes and finds a need to pee--" Aeryn appeared incredulous "--or urine, it will discharge naturally." He grinned, placed the tube within the probe, pulled away John's black coat, vest, and loosened the T-shirt from his belted black leather pants to expose the bladder area. Kendrell looked at Aeryn squinting, "He's well dressed for a Peacekeeper in black."

Aeryn gave Kendrell a scorned look. "He is not a Peacekeeper or Sebacean, he is a human from Earth. Will this work?"

"Let's find out." Before Aeryn could contest Kendrell, he exposed John's tender flesh and stabbed the spike instrument in. 

Aeryn, though she witnessed victims being tortured and stood unfeeling, unseeing in her Peacekeeper days, she flinched at John's body writhing, twisting in a mangled form. She had too much sympathy, compassion for this human, so fragile to her violent world. Then the shaking quickly abated and John's body relaxed. Aeryn released a moan.

"Shouldn't we revive him?" she asked.

"No. He has to wake on his own. Not only that, he may die from shock if he's artificially awakened. It must be natural. But I have this, too!" Kendrell held up another tube, red this time. "This will digest in his bloodstream and nourish him for days to come." He slammed the thing into the probe and positioned it to stab. Aeryn put her hand up to stop him.

"He may not be able to stand it this time." Aeryn still blocked Kendrell's arm from the horrified act.

"Alas, Officer, take courage. Without this, he wouldn't survive anyway, so grit your teeth and watch."

She let go and Kendrell stuck the thing back into John's side, leaving no visible marks. But John's body contorted alive with violence, stronger this time. The lights and shadows ripped John's countenance, his face reflecting pure agony. Aeryn's strained. She couldn't hide her heart drumming in her ears. He gyrated for nearly a quarter of an arn. 

Aeryn's hope dissipated. In a fury she turned on Kendrell, grabbed him by his collar and slammed him on the floor.

"You're killing him!"

"No, I didn't know how he would react. Wait! Look behind you!"

She turned and once again, John's tremors ceased.

Kendrell sat up and sighed, "See, he has to eat."

"Oh, food." Aeryn said, wearily, looking at John's resting body. "He'd be hungry when he wakes."

Kendrell took her hand, "Why the interest?"

Aeryn didn't welcome his intrusion. Though at first, she wanted to ignore it, but decided not.

"He is..." She inhaled for control. "He is unique in the universe. Perhaps one day he will save your life." Aeryn's voice lowered, locked eyes with Kendrell's, "Or take yours."

"Joke on. But I've known you for two days, and your people have a tendency to be forthright--thrills and laces, secret tunnels and places, spies, directorates. Officer Sun, at this moment, I find there is more about this creature you aren't telling me."

"Not for you to know."

They were both sitting on the dock floor with legs crossed beside John Crichton's sleeping figure. Aeryn noticed blush returning to his cheeks. Strangely, that comforted her, his complexion returning. John coming back. Aeryn closed her eyes.

Kendrell smiled, wryly. "Why risk our returning to the squad because of this being. You do know we report what we find, don't you? Do you want him discovered?"

Aeryn didn't answer.

"You will need to tell me if you desire this confidential." Aeryn knew Kendrell wanted her to take the bait. This time, she would fulfill this stranger's curiosity for Crichton's sake. She couldn't let anyone know of John's existence, as there were wanted beacons everywhere. And John was far more valuable than her. She would never turn him in. Then warm moments flooded her thoughts, closeness, John caressing her ivory skin, being comforted, held with strong arms, John's strong arms. Even if this John may be the copy, she owed him her protection.

Aeryn propped herself out of her slumped position and straightened her back in the dark. "I know how to handle pain. I can control it by mere concentration. Focus. Determination. I have the skills to survive, to patch wounds, set broken bones, and even accept disfigurement of scars. In short, I was trained to endure pain.

"Emotions...?" She stopped, paused for microts.

Emotions? How could she explain what happened between her and John? The purity of their devotion--she never had seen anything close to his passion, his adoration of her. His crystal blue eyes filled her, his sweet smile beckoned her, so rapturous, so, so complete.

She struggled to say the words it seemed for a long while. The tears were coming. She pushed them back while she remembered cuddling with her John and learning to read English and preparing to go to Earth with him--to love him always. But that dream dissipated when he died in her arms. The memory cut her like a fresh wound. Breathe. Control. She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin, never looking away from John's still figure, the mirror of her love.

"We as Peacekeepers were never taught how to control the emotions this human has displayed. And...and yet, alien to me...I have them, too." Her face tightened. Kendrell caressed her hand. She had to release these words into the air so they wouldn't haunt her--but they ricocheted in her ears to cut her soul. 

"All my life I learned to reject softness, through my childhood, until now. Now somehow, I find his softness to be strength." 

Aeryn's voice lulled to a purr. "This contradiction has ruined me." She turned toward Kendrell, "Does your race know of compassion?"

Kendrell chuckled, "Somewhat."

Aeryn stiffened. "Then don't try the same thing John has." She pulled away her hand.

Kendrell laughed without much humor and waved his arms, "Poor victim John, not me. I don't care what you think."

Aeryn squinted at Kendrell with angry eyes. She knew him, playing as if he's not interested, fickle like John always wanting to share and confide. "Do you want me to finish?"

"Finish then." He cocked a brow with no smile. Aeryn knew Kendrell would forget her offending him by pulling her hand away. He had a way of forgiving like John.

That night had become one of confiding, an abnormal trait for Aeryn. But this moment proved important to her, the saving of John's life and sharing her thoughts of him.

"Mmmm...I once thought he was a lesser species--intolerable, useless, weak. Not anymore--another contradiction."

Kendrell touched Aeryn's hand. "You've learned much for an ex-Peacekeeper," he said.

Aeryn faced him, "I've learned to accept this human, John Crichton."

"For Peacekeepers that is a tremendous milestone. You've had a change of heart."

Aeryn smiled, wickedly , "Shut the frell up and let's work. And if I hear a word of this, I'll kill you myself." They got up to repair the Scout. Aeryn in black with pulse pistol in holster, strapped on her thigh, and Kendrell in dark teal with blaster in holster, strapped to his chest.

***

They had planned with Pilot and _Elack _to leave John in his module. Pilot was not to tell John that Aeryn and Kendrell had actually saved his life. Pilot promised they would never tell in order to save everyone's life. 

Before they put John back into his module, Aeryn asked Kendrell to wait and give her a few microts before leaving. She needed to say goodbye. With John comatose, Aeryn had no pressure of confronting him or explaining why she left _Moya_ or why she was doing this unresisting act of saying goodbye. He couldn't feel her, hear, or touch her.

Aeryn stealthily, quietly, as if not to wake him, bent over John, hearing his steady breathing. Her face contacted his and she caressed with her nose, her cheek to feel him once more, grazing his lips with her mouth, his good firm lips, and tasted them. When she felt warmth come from his mouth, a sweet rush passed through her, exactly the same wonder as her true love. Her tears meshed with his skin. Her John she loved. This John she would never allow to die. 

Time passed quickly. Kendrell was returning in a few monens with cables and patching metals to finish repairing the Scout. She lingered too long. She came back up for air and wiped her tears. 

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One more microt. Just one.

Aeryn leaned again. A single tear etched a pathway down her cheek to rain on John's lips. She whispered in his ear what she had told him on _Moya_ before leaving him. "You said fate is what brought us together. If that is so, then we'll be together again. Goodbye, John Crichton."

***

For John Crichton, darkness always claimed space. But days came with the sun. 

Aeryn Sun.


	3. Countdown

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Chapter 3 - Countdown

Rygel peered through _Moya_'s forward portal, viewing the blue and gold planet. They were hungry, tense, and weary. The crew had reunited with John on Arnesk and spent four monens looking for Aeryn. It was intolerable, this obsession of John's. 

__

Four frelling monens! 

Rygel sniffed at the planet infested with orbiting weaponry. This whole idea was fahrbot! To disturb an armed planet, but they were hungry.

"You are trespassing interspatial territory." The comm message repeated on _Moya_'s viewer screen. Rygel's face glistened, eyes strained. He felt his three stomachs gurgle, taking on this threat.

"I represent this vessel and all aboard. I am Rygel the sixteenth, Domineer of over six-hundred billion subjects. Show me your leader." Rygel hovered in his floating throne, hoping negotiations would commence. Besides, Commander Mele-On Grayza should not have dispersed the wanted beacons this far into the Uncharted Territories. 

"You are trespassing interspatial territory. Flee now or be destroyed in 600 microts, counting down now. 558...554."

"Mippippippi 553, Mippippippi 552," Rygel said, mocking the countdown. "Pilot! wake Crichton and that...that Sikozu. I need them here, now. There's trouble!"

***

Commander John Crichton, who had reunited with his friends monens ago, jumped from his bed, then sprinted to Command Control and found Rygel had left a distinct aroma of his helium gas. Sikozu followed quickly behind.

"Okay," John said, voice high pitched from the helium, "what's cookin' here? Ohhh, Sparky, did you fart again?" John's brow wrinkled, fanning the stench from his nose.

"Rygel," Sikozu said with a tiny voice, flailing her arms to clear the fumes. "This negative gaseous response must cease. One day you'll have us blown to bits."

"This is serious." Rygel said, "They won't listen to me. We have to Starburst out of here or there won't be a chance for my helium to blow us up, but they will."

John saw the small blue, green sphere displaying it's polygon shaped satellites blinking red lasers, targeting _Moya_'s outer shell, apparently weapons. The countdown continued on the comm: 

"101...100...99..."

"Pilot!" John turned to the clamshell and saw the multi-task navigator appear, their mediator between _Moya_ and the crew. "What happened?"

Pilot's shelled head swayed, his brow, like ridges, crinkled together. "Commander, it is as the Domineer explained. _Moya_ is very worried and would like to Starburst immediately. She wishes not to die."

"Tell her to stay put. We'll figure something out." John had to precaution Pilot and _Moya_ because, if safety dictated, having a mind of their own, they would indeed Starburst before you could say Scaramouche!

They needed a commerce planet for food, clothes, and other supplies they could purchase. This planet appeared to be one. John had to take a chance at this or they'd starve to death.

The comm continued, "You are trespassing interspatial territory..."

Rygel ears flopped down, "They won't listen to me."

"Okay, Sparky, let's give this a whirl." John braced himself at the controls. "Pilot, put us through their main systems communications."

Pilot acknowledged, "I will try." More seconds passed. 

John drummed his fingers on the console, hoping Pilot would hurry. "Pilot, Pilot, come on or we'll be toast!" John said at a murmur. They had less than minute, not enough time to Starburst. 

Finally, Pilot appeared, "You may proceed, Commander. Please do not cause our demise."

John smiled, "I won't.

"If anybody hears me out there, I'm John Crichton. We mean no harm. We are not Peacekeepers. All we want is some groceries, toilet paper, handi-wipes, Kentucky Fried Chicken, you know." 

The satellites, spiraled to display a green light, kept counting: "7...6...5." Then it stopped.

Pilot appeared on the clamshell, "I have a transmission!" Suddenly another voice came through the comm, then the critter appeared on Pilot's viewer shell. A fragile creature, mustard colored with three bug-like eyes spoke in a sing-song manner. To John, it sounded like a receptionist.

"Your message has been received. We apologize for our abruptness. Our security only serves as protection. Will you forgive us?"

"Well, yeah. Sure." John looked at Rygel incredulously. 

"Will you be gracious to hold for a moment while our Regent responds?"

"Gladly!"

"Thank you for your kindness." The screen went blank.

"Apparently," Sikozu crossed her arms, "You, Crichton, are the cause of this turmoil. You have risked our lives to satisfy your gambling ego."

John grinned, this over-educated, self-reliant red-headed female was sounding like Aeryn. Sputnik he nicknamed her or spitfire, whichever suited, always negated him every turn. Miss Spitfire stood with arms akimbo and head tilted.

John swaggered toward her until he stood one foot away. "I've saved everybody's butt again. Be satisfied." Sikozu opened her mouth, "Shut-up." He put his fingers on her lips, "Don't say a word." He turned away from her. "Now it looks like they're taking a little while, so let's wake D'Argo and Chiana--"

Before he finished, D'Argo came, pulsed and ready for a fight. His friend with many tentacles for hair stood, towering over John. 

"Trouble?" D'Argo asked, his base-sounding voice.

"Not anymore." John explained their situation as Chiana entered. Then he rehashed the story to her. "Now all we need is a call back from the planet."

John glanced at Chiana doing her head dance, and he presumed she was assessing all that transpired. The gray girl leaned against a comm station, giggled. "It'll take a whole planet to feed us. Food...finally."

D'Argo crossed his arms, "John, this could be a trap."

"Yeah," John nodded, "I thought of that, but...hey, two out of three, we'll beat the odds. We've got to stay alive and find Aeryn. Right?"

"Then what's your plan?"

"Wait for their replay, then we act. Is everybody cool with that?"

Sikozu narrowed her eyes, "Not until you tell us what it is. Then I'll let you know. I may have a few myself."

"I bet you do." John didn't care if she heard him or not. "What about Grandma, is she okay?"

Chiana looked guilty, head swaying, she looked up. John cocked his head, mocking her swaying.

"Well?" John asked.

"She was cooking something...truffles and fell asleep on the floor." Chiana's arms went up, "She looked so comfortable I let her lay on the floor. Besides, there wasn't anything edible she was cooking with."

"Maybe that's why she's sleeping. No voodoo dust to spice the sauce. Remind me to add that to the list." They laughed with John.

***

"Commander," Pilot appeared again. "The transmission is reactivated." The viewer burst to life with garrulous colors and a man, appearing Sebacean, smiled. His gold tunic sparkled with small studded crystals or diamonds, John thought, decorating the top--_what a rich fat cat._

"Greetings from us, the Planet Yontur, it is a pleasure to have you." The rich guy raised his arms, displaying even more of the loud tunic, "I am the Regent Mo-tan-nish-no. We are glad you received our invitation finally. We had thought you would never come since there has been no response. Will you do us the honor to visit our humble world? We are communing with others from worlds afar and are privileged to have you come also. So privileged until our hearts burst with joy."

John turned to D'Argo and wanted to snicker, "What is up with this guy? This has got be the best gilded trap I know of."

"Ask why." D'Argo said.

"Your Regent," John wanted to scream, laugh, howl, something. This was on the border of ridiculous. John and his friends were fugitives, outlaws, and the Regent was honored by them? "Why do you feel privileged at our arrival?"

"We have searched for you almost a cycle to procure an invitation to this great event, which actually revolves around you. Each time we would locate you, we would always meet with news of your departure dozens of solar days after our arrival. It had become hopeless. And, yet, here you are."

"Why do you want us here?"

"Why? Oh my, it is because of all that you have done against the Peacekeepers. We hold them in great fear and distrust. We wish our galaxy to be free of their tyranny and folly. Did you know they wish to treaty with the Scarrans?"

"I've had a little history on that. But the Peacekeepers joining them? No."

"Our people have indicated this forthcoming news. Can you imagine answering to two, instead of one, tyrannical governmental rule? Both seemingly to annihilate us. Well, if you allow, we must commune later on this. But let me enlighten you on our gratification whilst we comm.

"You, Commander John Crichton, and your friends, are legendary here in the Uncharted Territories. For you have destroyed a Gammack base, which is astronomical. And you have crushed the depository, a feat beyond many. However amazing, you didn't stop there. No, you actually demolished a complete Command Carrier, the power structure of their military, and even preserved many lives in your attack. Such a merciful act from such a powerful foe. Even so, you had no legions or fleets to carry out your mission. Inconceivable. Whilst in contrast, it would have taken us just that and more. You and your friends are in our highest regards. You are legendary beyond all others in this galaxy."

__

Legendary? John stared into the clamshell, shocked. It was all about survival, protecting each other from a relentless and formidable nemesis. Those acts were inevitable, forced, not planned like the strategies of war, or politics of vying nations. All John wanted was peace, a life with Aeryn, to raise their kid, and a simple planet to live on. Not this commando crap!

"Please do not consider our satellites an offense," the Regent continued, "but a defense to protect you while you are here on Yontur. We have them designated to not allow any hostiles. Please accept our invitation with no hesitance."

"Regent, give us about a quarter of an arn, okay?" John asked. The rich guy nodded, and patiently waited in mute. "Okay, guys lets go with this. How about it?"

They were either thinking quietly or sleepy. John couldn't figure which, but he wanted to get this over with. "Look, I'm going down there by myself whether anyone agrees or not. Is that clear?"

D'Argo nodded, "Then I'll go with you."

"Okay," John said, "Rygel, Chiana stay with Granny, and Sikozu you come with us." Chiana stepped forward.

"You promised."

"Not this time, Pip, it's Sputnik's turn." He touched Chiana's cheek, "Mmm, mmm good, remember food?" John rubbed his belly, she pouted.

"Frell, it'd better be next time when I go." Chiana pointed at Sikozu, "If you frell up, you'll be a bucket of dren when I get through with you." 

John noticed Pip's eyes sparkle with welled tears and wished he could take her along.

Sikozu heightened her chin, "I never frell anything up," she said.

"Yeah, like crash landing on Elack, destroying all my wormhole notes," John said, murmuring. He saw Sikozu's discontentment and turned to the viewer to begin preparations for landing with the Regent. He was weary, hungry, spent, and wanted to complete this little escapade to continue his search for Aeryn, a higher priority than restoring wormhole equations, previously destroyed by yours truly.

"And of course, you wish me to stay and negotiate." Rygel said. "In case there is a need. Correct?"

"You bet your sweet bippy I do!"

***

John got a full tour by the Regent's overseer, Palimous the third, a very high station claimed by the guide. John was taken to view the cylinder skyscrapers, reaching doubly high as the Sears building. Some of the achromatic structures were halved edifices many concave, others convex. Majestic. 

They traveled in an automated mobile that could go aerial and sub terrain. John and Sikozu witnessed a variety of teaching institutions for children and adults in huge complexes. Though dissimilar to Earth's way of doing things, the basic principles applied, the more education, the better chance to upscale in society. They thrived on learning institutions, economics, industries, even agriculture. The planet teamed with life, everywhere, flora, hexapods, arachnids, arthropods, ephemera, especially on the windshield--bug juice. John chuckled, relaxed in his seat with Sikozu. He liked it here. It was more like his home, Earth, than any other planet he'd visited on this side of the galaxy.

Previously, John arranged with D'Argo to keep track of their trail and stay hidden behind by the cloaking apparatus of his Luxan ship. D'Argo kept their movements on scan from the stratosphere, as the mobile that carried John and Sikozu moved above and below the planet's surface.

They finally arrived. John, with Sikozu following, exited the mobile. The overseer, taller than John, with a long face like a mule like Jughead, led them to a large tarmac field with aircraft departing, landing, hovering, all in a conglomerate. 

Palimous the third, gracefully gestured to the airfield. "We have had many newcomers due to a vicious attack targeting our planetary neighbors. We have provided solitude."

"Very commendable of your people, Palimous," Sikozu said with a fresh smile.

She had a way with her salmon hair and iridescent skin. Yep, John thought she was charming when she wanted to be.

"Our Regent desired me to introduce you to our new recruits, eight of them to be exact," the overseer said. "Since most have been delayed, we still have a couple of them. They should arrive about now. Will you follow me to the hanger?"

***

"Ahh, here they come!" Palimous rushed ahead inside a huge hanger, maybe a half mile long, to greet the two coming. John couldn't see who they were, but he straggled behind.

At least he could see the jets screaming overhead before they entered. Many fighter crafts had strange markings, alien to John's eye, but others were Prowlers. Their advanced technology marveled him. He stared at their diamond formation, like a child's first sighting of the magical U.S. Navy Blue Angels. They were banked in rows of twelve. Beautiful. John put his hand on the small of Sikozu's back to hurry her along. They were dragging too far behind.

Sikozu gasped at the great machines, dozens lined, ready for flight inside the hanger. "This is wonderfully efficient. I would love to get my hands on one of those."

"Yeah, you can fly anything," John grinned, looking at her. "Like riding a bike, once you learn, you never forget." The breeze felt nippy on this planet and swirled into the huge hanger. John was glad he wore his black leather coat. He thought he was imagining things. To John's left was a shadow that hastily sprinted behind a fighter's wheel, probably a mechanic or technician. He shrugged away his suspicions but still felt rattlers in his stomach.

Still catching up, John heard Palimous's voice and looked up to be introduced. John stopped, abruptly, causing Sikozu to bump into him. Heat flashed through his body, face flushed, heart palpating when he saw her, in an all black flight suit, sleek, and lustrous ivory skin. She was radiant while she stood erect with helmet in hand and hair loose, face flint like an eagle, he then noticed, soften. 

__

Aeryn!

__

To hold you after all this time.

Their eyes locked. Memories flooded John's senses--the feather-light scent of her skin, her large gray orbs, innocent, yet war torn that always reflected clarity, sincerity of how she felt. He felt his groin ache, his knees buckle.

__

Oh God, Aeryn, my radient Sun!

John hoped no one noticed his angst for her. He didn't trust the regent, the overseer, nor the situation. He had learned the hard way many times before, making life-threatening mistakes. _Clint Eastwood, help me here, need your stoicism._ He purposely scowled to appear like his movie idol, hard, unfeeling, coiled for action and braced his legs in a straddle to keep from falling.

John wasn't sure about his surroundings and scanned the perimeters, which he was thankful for, it made him look busy. He felt the rattlers in his stomach increase overtime, maybe because of Aeryn. He scanned for any other followers or anyone hiding waiting to pounce them. He saw another shadow. Then he pushed his coat over to expose Winona strapped on his right thigh, and his fingers fidgeted over the pistol.

***

__

Frell the human, Aeryn mused. It took fate long enough to return John to her. Aeryn perused the crimson-hair beauty with golden skin, flanked to John's right in contrast to his light brown, well trimmed hair with pink skin. She purposely constrained her disdain. A female replacement of herself, most likely.

Despite Aeryn's Peacekeeper upbringing to be emotionally detached, she felt her heart tug. It wasn't an opportune time to become invidious. She was overreacting as if he were "her John."

Aeryn's muscles tensed, she haughtily lifted her chin. Strange how she believed he was useless, stupid, a lesser species, when there he stood towering over her, strong, masculine, and fit for use. His shoulders spanned, like the wings of her Prowler. Then her eyes perused down his torso, lower. His hips were slender in the tight black leathers that exposed his virility. She closed her eyes to turn away and opened them again to focus elsewhere. Only a few monens ago, she had found him asphyxiated, near his last breath. Now, she felt his warmth, his heat. 

Her resolve was weakening. She wasn't nearly as strong as their first reunion on _Moya _after her John's death. She couldn't grieve like any normal Peacekeeper. If grieving was the correct word. No, it was too Earth oriented. Detach was more appropriate for her.

There wasn't any room to forget her John's face when this present John stood directly in front of her still alive, still powerful, still as beautiful.

John seemed agitated and flapped his ebony coat back to expose Winona, his beloved pistol. His fingers rested near the release clip, then fidgeted. His face was flushed, poised for action. She hoped he would calm down.

Palimous began introductions, "Commander John Crichton, this is one of our most excellent flyers, Officer Aeryn Sun. She has already flown four missions with successful results. How many of the enemy crafts did you destroy?"

"A significant amount, sir. Over thirty-five." Aeryn said.

"Commander John Crichton," Palimous pointed to her, "Officer Aeryn Sun."

"My pleasure, Officer." John said, softly and extended his hand to her. She grasped it and felt his grip tighten and his pulse quicken. She noticed Palimous witnessing this human's alien custom of greeting with a raised brow. To make things more embarrassing, John didn't let go for such a long time. 

"If I may, sir?" Aeryn asked. Palimous nodded.

Aeryn reluctantly, slowly removed her hand from John's grip and pointed to Kendrell. "This is Captain Kendrell my teammate, my back wing on our missions. I am proud to present him to you, Commander John Crichton," she turned to the teal-uniformed one, "Captain Kendrell, Commander John Crichton."

***

"Look-see here, you are unique in the universe. Commander?" Kendrell put forth his hand with a captivating smile.

"Pleased to meet you, Captain." John was struck by the term, "unique in the universe," which only Scorpius and Crais had repeated. How did the captain know? Crichton, though suspicious, took an immediate liking to Kendrell who reminded him of the warrior in D'Argo...no...a Jamaican soul brother. The guy was too human looking; he had to be Sebacean, sporting burnt umber dred locks past his waist with highlights of red. The captain's skin was like mocha...hmmm...he'd kill for a delicious mocha, frothy coffee, sweet like hot chocolate.


	4. Intertwined

****

Chapter 4 - Intertwined

"This is our Complex Royale of Armana," Palimous said, directing everyone to the two convex and concave structures facing each other forming a tall cylinder. "I am proud to present our most prized temporary living quarters equipped with ready rooms for the elite only. Its ambience will melt you into a mood of irresistibility." 

"Vacation for the rich and famous." John retorted. They stood before the structures. John didn't like this gaudy show of hospitality. But maybe it was just their lifestyle or they didn't know any better.

"Jughead," John tapped the overseer on his shoulder. "This looks like it's taking longer than we expected. Is there any way to get food aboard _Moya_?"

"We'll have transports ready with the best dishes you request. I will message our connoisseurs and gourmet experts to prepare the most delicious dishes to taste in the largest bulk ever. We will transport these by a barge for your convenience."

Sikozu seemed mighty pleased as she interjected, "I would love to see your artists prepare the canvases of meals with you."

Palimous wanly smiled, "Of course your invitation would be graciously accepted; however, I am to stay with this tour in a suite next door."

"How 'bout you go ahead with Sikozu. And Captain Kendrell, Officer Sun and I will get to know each other better." John said, nodding toward Sikozu. "Go ahead, keep 'em happy." To Palimous, "I think she likes you." John heard Palimous chuckle and was amazed how Sikozu, without any plans on how to occupy Palimous' time, took on Jughead without a hitch.

The crimson beauty linked her arms with the overseer, "And for our commander and crew members, perhaps you will show me where replenish our stock and supplies? Show me everything, the longer the better." John couldn't help to see a twinkle in Jughead's eyes. 

***

"Great! They're gone." John said, clapping his hand with one thunderous smack. This was the first time he was semi-alone with Aeryn, which was better than nothing. "Captain Kendrell, would it be possible to...uh...well...you know."

Kendrell with big brown eyes and skin to match slapped John on the shoulder. "Aaaa, big man, getting close to lady girl here. Then all you need to do is give your name inside. The desk people will know. And don't be long," to Aeryn, "I'll be fetching you in two arns, Officer Sun." Then he winked at John, "Commander, don't stay too late, the dinner will begin in a few arns."

People, Sebaceans, aliens, passed them by as they strode to a secure area not far from the complex. The monochrome edifices shielded John and Aeryn. He wanted to hold her while she stood quietly by.

"You always have a plan," Aeryn said, looking to a small fountain nearby. "It appears you have one now."

"Yep, I'm contacting D'Argo. I'm going to tell him I've found you." She didn't flinch, move, nothing.

"D'Argo!" John spoke in the small communicator pin on his vest. Microts later D'Argo's voice came through. "Secure the link, I don't want anyone listening in. Got it?"

"Agreed." D'Argo said, "Link is secured."

"You won't believe this, but Aeryn's standing right next to me." John turned from her and walked out of listening range. "I've found her. Can you believe it?"

"No. You've drank too much Raslak and everyone's hungry. Have you bought anything?"

"Didn't need to. We're being treated like royalty down here."

"Then why are you talking to me. We need food, supplies!"

"Hold up, big guy. There'll be a barge with plenty of eats on it, but I want you to go to _Moya _make sure everything goes smoothly and bring some weapons back to me. Can you do this cloaked?"

"No! My shields are running out. I'll bring the weapons to you."

"Okay, but make sure you bring another pulse pistol, grenades, explosives, you know the whole kissing caboodle. It doesn't feel right here. I think someone's always following us."

"Crichton, why is it we can't have some peace, settle down, and have fun?" John heard D'Argo pause for a long time. "Is it true about Aeryn?"

"It's all true."

***

The ready room reminded John of Buckingham Palace, the epitome of opulence--gilded mirrors, stark gold contrasted against white crystals hanging like stalactite from every portion of the ceiling, plush sky blue carpet with an iridescent glow. 

After John escorted Aeryn inside, he threw his coat on a see-through chair and stood in the middle of the floor with legs straddled, viewing the strange concave shape of the walls. Like an illusion, the room made him feel dizzy. She stood by a gilded mirror. He could see her image in the crystal chair. Without turning toward her, John struggled with his suspicions.

"I don't trust Palimous or the Regent," he said, crossing his arms behind him, mocking the military "at ease" position.

Aeryn peered at the mirror that reflected her war-torn body. She pulled off her flight jacket, revealing her black spaghetti strapped top tucked in her black leather pants with belt and pulse pistol in holster.

"You haven't trusted anyone lately," she said.

"Yes I have." John still didn't face her.

Aeryn turned and walked slowly toward him.

"No you haven't."

"I do trust others." John noticed, by the refractions, her image drawing closer, becoming clearer, darker, flowing on the glass-like surface.

She shook her head, as he felt her softness on his back. "No you don't."

John couldn't help to see a difference in her shape when he turned to face her. The small, flimsy top revealed her fuller chest. Involuntarily, his heart rate increased. She was close enough for him to smell her gentle scent of soap. Intoxicating. Why was she doing this? They should've been catching up on what had happened in their absence--how _Elack _and Pilot saved his life, how he survived and everyone came together, how Jool left their crew and stayed on the planet Arnessk. So much had happened. But no...this cold, impersonal interrogation was disengaging, strange. John inhaled.

"I trust you, Aeryn. You don't trust me?"

"Don't twist this. Look at you." She said it slowly, like a cat's purr, her nose nearly touching his. He felt her breath on his cheek. She was right. At this point he didn't trust himself. 

"You've become calloused like a Peacekeeper." She said, luring him in with her pools of gray.

"You mean, I'm not soft anymore?" John cocked a brow and smiled, "You don't like me the way I am?"

She was still breathing on him, driving him crazy. "If you weren't so...stubborn...selfish...soft."

John grabbed Aeryn by her holster belt and tugged her hips to his, closer until he heard the crunch of leather against leather. All he could do was suck in his breath while she stared up at him.

__

Oh God, help me!

He felt the heat flash through him, "You...like...to make it hard on me, don't you?"

Aeryn challenged him, locking eyes. "Yes." She released his grip, shoved him away, and turned to escape him.

"No!" John snatched her back, using a Peacekeeper defense move Aeryn taught him. He locked hands with her in an cuffed position with her arms behind her back, jammed her back into him.

"No games! Let's finish what we started," he said. He could feel her athletic body tight against his. Heat struck again. "All I ever wanted was you, Aeryn." John's voice was rough, low, unlike his normal pitch.

He smothered his face in her hair. "I'll never let you go," he whispered. 

John was surprised she didn't struggle, but was silent. Then he heard her groan, and fear gripped him.

__

The baby!

He relaxed his hold quickly, but before he could apologize, she counteracted.

***

"You would love to overtake me," she said. "wouldn't you?" 

In one fluid motion, she released from his grip, swung around with a Pantak jab squarely beneath his nose. She slammed him onto the carpeted floor with such force that the wind almost knocked out of him.

He lay there looking up at Aeryn, appearing half in shock, half in anticipation with arms up to protect himself. The bird of prey peered at him, ready to attack again. Angry, she was so angry to want him. To treasure his passion. _Frell_, she could kick him across the other side of the room.

Aeryn knelt and straddled over John's torso and flung back her raven hair, longer, fuller. He was still soft as she remembered the first time they met. Yes, she smashed him into _Moya_'s wall, slung him across the cell's floor, kicked and then straddled him, overpowering him. It was the traditional Uncharted Territories greeting for this innocent one grown stalwart, beating after beating. 

Aeryn noticed he wasn't catching his breath. She was slightly concerned, but shrugged it away. He would endure because he always had and always will. He was strong. Like the most acclaimed Peacekeeper, he was a man of war, strategies that would make any enemy weep--of course, with her help and their friends.

John struggled. "Aeryn, I'm sorry," he said, gasping for air.

Aeryn gently placed a hand on John's face that glistened with sweat. Still on his back, he didn't move. This sole human wielded the wormhole technology that could destroy stars and planets. So impressive was this power that it drew John's enemies to him like sweet Fellip Nectar. That was the demise of her other John. The tears sparkled in her eyes.

She slowly descended to capture his mouth with hers, priming his soft lips. She heard him gasp for air as he cradled her face with his hands, strong hands. Her soft, hard, insane John. She arrested him again, pumping, priming his pliable mouth, deeper...deeper...no more yesterdays...no more tomorrows...just now.

***

John felt Aeryn's hair caress his face. He was smothered with passion, not knowing if it was her moans he heard or his. 

"You think I'm crazy?" he said between a gulp of air.

"Yes, don't talk," Aeryn dove in for more. The madness struck; he couldn't get enough of her. All he could do was drown in her hot, disarming kisses.

"I'm crazy," his mouth found the crevice of her neck. "for doing this." He devoured her mouth, nose, eyes. Senselessness, no more grip on reality. "I missed you so much...so much."

He felt her arch her neck as he kissed her. "So have I." He could hear her deep voice turned soft, like a fresh breeze after a gentle spring rain.

John's heart leaped, his head blurred. Too much joy flooded him--his Aeryn in his arms, his kid, all of them ready to be a family. _My baby!_ He had to confront her about the baby. Not only that, he had to speak to her about returning back to _Moya_. Would she leave her unit for him?

As if someone splashed a bucket of freezing water on John, he abruptly pulled Aeryn away, panting. "No! Wait! We need to talk."

"What?" She sat up. John heard the pain in her protest.

"No. I mean...I love you, but what about the b--"

They heard scratching, rattling at the door.

Suddenly, Aeryn was behind the entrance way against the wall with her pulse pistol above her head poised to strike. John, on the other side, held his Winona close to his face. His heart raced while the door slid open.

John the first, quicker than a blink, swung in front, grabbed the huge brown clothed one with tentacles. Then counteracted as quickly, John was slain on the carpeted floor, this time the wind knocked from him.

John's assailant wielded his Qualta blade to stab.

***

"D'Argo!" Aeryn shouted, with pistol aimed to shoot. "Stop! It's us, John and me...Aeryn."

D'Argo poised to attacked paused for a lengthy time, wondering if he made a mistake and decided not. He slid his blade into his sheath, and sighed. 

"Whew," he said, diffidently, "almost got him this time. John, wake up!" He slapped his friend's face hard a few times.

John sputtered, shaking his head appearing to focus. 

"It's me, D'Argo," he reached and helped John up.

John rubbed his head, "You almost killed me, big guy." 

D'Argo laughed, "You're too hearty." Then he turned to Aeryn and went speechless.

"Is this the greeting we get?" she asked, with arms crossed. "Or are you too blind?"

D'Argo sprung toward her and gave a bear-hug, "It _is _true." He bellowed in laughter directly in her ear as she struggled to get free.

"You could break my back and cause me deafness with this display," she smiled, pushing him away.

"I can't help it. How long has it been? Too long. It's good seeing you, Aeryn."

D'Argo noticed how John and Aeryn look flustered, both blushing? She was so radiant. It could've been because of their rough encounter or could it be? 

"Are you and Aeryn?" He made a gesture with his hands, pointing to her, then his friend, and grinned sheepishly.

He saw them looking at each other, and she returning a smile. Suddenly they blurted together, "Yes!"

D'Argo gave John a juicy hug first, then grabbed Aeryn, and encircled them with his huge arms. His eyes blurred with wetness.

"We're family again."


	5. Viva Los Kudos!

****

Chapter 5 - Viva Los Kudos!

His gate was sure, donned in his black leather coat flapping in the brisk breeze with a swagger to his walk and powerful shoulders swaying. His pistols, exposed on both his thighs, reflected the garish colors of the sky indigo turned bright. To John, the mighty skyscrapers were lit up like Christmas trees, reminding him of Las Vegas, New York...no..._Hollywood_! 

"You've got to be kidding me!" John said, looking at Aeryn. The lights played on her face. _Aeryn an angel?_ he thought. _Nah_, but she sure was gorgeous in black leather. His mind was going crazy over her, and his heart pumped double time in her presence. He wondered what they were going to do about the baby and her returning to _Moya _with him. But now wasn't the time to address these matters. It was time to figure out what the Regent really wanted of him.

"Unusual," she said with a grunt. "No wonder they need surveillance and weaponry satellites, with this thoughtless display of fluff."

John couldn't believe that came out of her mouth. It struck him like a slap, "Hey, this is as close to Earth as you're gonna get, so lighten up." And, it was very like his old planet. They hurried toward Armana's "Temple of Gratuities," as guided by Captain Kendrell, walking beside them. They approached the largest structure in the city--the one that doubled the tall Sears tower. It was a stark contrast to the others and had an achromatic tone that flickered violet, magenta, tangerine, melon, lemon, then ochre by the floodlights. 

Kendrell spoke in John's ear, "Alas, be gentle with lady girl here, she's a frisky cold wind. Brrrr." Kendrell mimicked a chill. John reared back with laughter, his eyes watered from the captain's wry remark. It was good to see someone else felt that refrigerator door open.

They witnessed the commotion. John thought these people couldn't have sent probes to Earth to televise the Oscars and then return to mimic the whole shebang. This was Yontur showing off her city. There were critters everywhere, including races he recognized--human-like Sebaceans, gray-complexioned Nebaris, huge-type cranium Interons, tentacle-sporting Luxens, and others he couldn't name. Personage from afar streamed toward the complex like tributaries, silhouetted against the pure white light as their ingress was toward the lobby area. 

"Vegas, here we come!" John hollered. He was amazed, seeing vehicles three limos long, pulling up to an endless slick silvery walkway that sported a crimson carpet to the entrance. Flying audio blimps, dozens of them, whirred above heralding the grand event in unison:

__

Live, here at the Gratuities!

__

Special guests...Come all...

__

Here to meet the Regent Mo-tan-nish-no...

__

And leaders from all around

__

Those who hear are meant to be invited...

__

Come and experience!

__

Live!...Enjoy the gala...

__

Come see leaders from worlds afar!

__

There's music...sweet music. Music...sweet music. Music everywhere. Everybody grab a partner. There's dancin' in the streets. That's what John thought it sounded like--that old sixties song. Though alien, it blasted with a rich resonating beat. It permeated him; caused him to rock. And, what topped it off were the large video screens, half the building's size, displaying what was occurring in the convex temple. Floodlights searched the sky and lit the structures, changing this time to emerald, gold, then crimson, flashing across vertically, then horizontally.

"What's with these people. We've landed in the middle of Gone With The Wind's premier...or something? Look!" John cried. A flash of ice green appeared among the crowd. It was Furlow all dolled up in a light green gown with a headpiece! _Couldn't be._ John touched Aeryn on the shoulder, "Did you see her? Furlow. You know, Dam-ba-da."

"What?" Aeryn filed in after a group of four turquoise aliens entered. "Come on, we're wasting time." John felt her snatch him inside by the arm.

"She's gone, maybe it wasn't her." John's voice was drowned out by the cacophony. 

***

Just an arn before, when D'Argo returned from _Moya _with John's request for ammo, while they were in the Complex Royale's ready room, he told John about Palimous delivering the food. D'Argo had done the task of watching Palimous and the two barges' crew, two men to each barge, keeping hidden from their sensors. He told John about the overseer docking barges of food supply aboard _Moya_. They were compacted in storage chambers equipped to keep the food fresher than _Moya_'s refrigeration units. D'Argo had boarded _Moya _when Palimous and the empty barges left. And, in D'Argo's opinion, Sikozu and the overseer seemed to share more than judgment on food, especially the way she railed about him. D'Argo grunted on that note.

D'Argo also quickly told John that Noranti saved the Laka bug's juice and innards in a container ready made for John to sniff.

"She said you may need it; 500 microts and you forget everything," D'Argo said and handed the distiller to John. "I agreed. You know, Mele-On Grayza?"

John shuddered, tasting bile at the mention of her name, "Commandant Cleavage. I get it." That woman had played whoopie with him too often without his consent. A sniff of her sweat, mixed with Heppel oil, had caused John's endorphins to overreact. The Laka bug innards were the only thing that neutralized the perfume, giving him a clear head to escape her hold. He happily placed the precious vile in his pocket.

"Oh, here's your holster for the second pistol." He handed John the holster that easily connected to his main belt strap and thigh. "Pistol," D'Argo lay the gun in John's hand.

"Ryder!" John said, balancing the dark weapon of steel that he stored away after hearing the death of his departed counterpart in his left hand, and with his right, he unclipped his other trusty pistol. "Finally," his voice gruff, resonated through the room. "Winona Ryder!" John smiled with arms stretched, pistols extended in opposite directions. He was happy; his balance was back, including his Aeryn. He bellowed with laughter, then pivoted 360 degrees, "I'm complete!"

John glanced at Aeryn, silent and aloof. She didn't look pleased, so he stopped and quickly plopped the pistols in their holsters with two resounding clicks. "I guess we need to get on with the show." John turned and noticed D'Argo held something dangling, wrapped in something like burlap. 

"I've got a surprise." D'Argo unwrapped it and revealed a casing with weaponry. Then he pulled something out. "Remember this?" 

John extended his hand, "You got it!" D'Argo gave him the shield belt. "I may need this." John patted D'Argo on the shoulder.

"Can't say you weren't protected." D'Argo gave John another hug.

"Well, you make sure, big guy, that Palimous and anything else he may have left behind, other than the food, is off _Moya_. And, make sure she hides so they won't know our location, got that?" D'Argo nodded and left for his ship. "Meet me tomorrow morning, and I'll try contacting tonight. Let you know how things went. Okay, buddy?"

"I'll keep a watch." D'Argo left on that note.

Afterward, John placed the weapons in a closet before Kendrell arrived for Aeryn, then decided to accompany Aeryn and Kendrell.

***

Lines filed at twenty different acceptance ports. Receiving each person at the ports were grand ushers, tall creatures that looked like a 1960 Chevy chrome bumpers turned vertical. 

The ushers bent with steely hands and said in voices that bounced from the walls, "Put your hand in the portal detector, then you will be ready for entrance and protocol." 

The interior lobby was larger than what John expected from the outside of the structure, probably an optical illusion, with silver white walls reflecting everyone's figure. Perfumes, aromas like apple, watermelon, rubber, and traditional ones of floral and spice clouded his senses--it would take getting used to. It was like a vacuum in there, no sound of the ruckus from outside, and none from the entrance of the reception area. Short tubules, six metras long, extended from twenty entrances, which likely isolated the noise within the reception area.

Directly before the tubules were the check-in points. "Your weapons, please," requested a small, purple biped with tentacles for arms, reaching for John's pistols. 

John felt the slimy tentacle against his hand. "Hey!" he cried, and slapped it away. Strange. But what has he seen or heard any stranger? Oh no, he had done something wrong, noticing the perturbed usher, advancing toward him. John quickly relinquished his weapons and coat. He received a round plastic claim tag that attached to the inner pockets of his black leather vest D'Argo had brought from _Moya_. Aeryn and Kendrell did likewise, smoothly and without friction. Well, it was their galaxy.

A transparent, circular door slid behind the crew, then the one before them slid open. When they entered, it hit like a monsoon--waves of music, blinding flashes of colors, and tantalizing aromas of food coming from the reception room! John couldn't move for a microt, neither could Aeryn or Kendrell. Amazing. John's name and background was announced, as if he were on a popular football team at the annual Super Bowl game. He imagined himself running around the arena, arms raised, pumping as the crowd cheered his name. But then Aeryn and Kendrell were announced in the same fashion. They marched together side by side, glanced in the darkness as spotlights played on their faces. They couldn't see the crowd, but just beyond their sight, a table lit up--not a lamp--but the whole table and the square part of the floor. The grand usher had informed them beforehand that's how their table would be identified. 

"Aeryn," John said as they approached the blue-lit table, "this beats Vegas." He chuckled and noticed Aeryn and Kendrell weren't listening to him. What was up with them? They should be enjoying the whole setup. Exotic food was spread on the table, ready to be devoured.

"What's wrong with you dead pans? This is it! Party time!" Before John got a response, the place lit up--lights bright like the sun--and then the music quelled. Adu commenced eating.

John, while chewing on a round piece of fuchsia meat, looked up toward the ceiling and noticed stalactite crystals with variations in style and size, were everywhere. John nudged Kendrell almost causing him to choke on the food in his mouth.

"Yo, Cap, what's up with all that hanging stuff. It's everywhere."

Kendrell leaned toward John, with an ominous blue reflective light against his melanin skin, and spat the food onto his plate. "Ahhh, observant. Very good."

John counteracted, leaning closer, "Don't put me through a litmus test, Cap. Just tell me what the heck they're for."

"Call me Adu. Those structures are an all-in-one convenience package. Each crystal has its own surveillance eye, integrated with the others, creating a 360 degree surveillance system. These crystals, my man, also serve as lighting and are very efficient."

"Sounds like a commercial." John grunted, peered at Aeryn, who was silently eating but listening also. John noticed she was wearing an ebony vest, which must've been hidden beneath her flight jacket before she took it off in the ready room. The vest was zipped over her spaghetti-strap top, a pity, he thought, he would've enjoyed the sight of her tantalizing, ivory landscape. 

Kendrell continued, "Once those crystals are energized, they can be controlled by dimming, brightening, high-speed flashing."

John noticed Aeryn's brow crease as she sat silently having finished her meal. There had to be more to this. It was getting hard to speak once again since the lights dimmed slightly and music started up again. People that he no longer called aliens spilled toward the center of the room, which appeared to be a dance floor.

"Where do they get the crystals from?" he asked.

"Below in the mines," Aeryn's gruff voice was heard clearly above the noise.

"They're prolific beneath Yontur's surface," Kendrell said. "Sophisticated tunnels have been drilled from this city to others across this globe."

"There's a reason for this, John," Aeryn said, then looked at Kendrell.

"Yeah?" John cocked his head to one side.

"Yea, brother man, they can become explosive."

"You mean, one of those can drop and...Ka-boom!"

Kendrell nodded. "There is an artificially made chemical, when mixed in correct proportions with the crystalline substance, contained in an encasement, and then ignited, can detonate to a one-hundred-thousand candle-light energy blast."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"No worry, my man, there is no such chemical here."

John feigned shivering, smiling, "Gives you the heebee geebees."

"That's what I'm here for. To deter any Ka-booms! as you say."

Aeryn sat back with coolness, "Tell him the rest."

"There's more?" This was getting worse by the minute. And to think, he had wanted to mix with the crowd and dance.

Kendrell drew Crichton's attention by locking eyes. "The compound has to be formulated with those very crystals up there, acting as the natural alkaline. Notice, I've said 'artificially made'? The igniting compound is made from extracts of the crystal called CL3. I've been investigating and discovered a heavy shipment of it being transferred to an invisible buyer. There's been two large barge transports made possessing containers with CL3. It takes three parts of CL3 and one part of the artificial chemical called fribrium to make this dangerous concoction."

John could sense where this was leading, "What's the problem?"

"It makes a powerful weapon. Someone could destroy this planet given the right tools. The shipment was enough to blow this planet, taking at least three others. We have to keep an eye out. Not everyone wants this alliance to succeed."

John wondered why he was drawn into this conspiracy and trusted with the critical information, but with Aeryn here--

"Would you pleasure us with a drink, sir?" The waitress offered a thin glowing green liquid in tall looking lava lamps to them. John and Kendrell grabbed the containers. Aeryn sat back with arms crossed. _What's eating her? _John thought.

"Maybe neither of you should drink." Aeryn said with arms still crossed.

"Is it alcoholic?" John asked.

"No."

"Well then," he slurped down the ice-packed green drink.

"I wouldn't drink that," Aeryn had such a wicked smile on her face. John squinted and drank it halfway down, then burped. Aeryn grunted.

"OH," he cursed. "GOD! Has this got KICK!" He felt woozy. It was burning straight through him, he started to sweat, and his mouth felt rubbery.

Kendrell chuckled, "Probably some allergic reaction, should last only about eighty microts."

John leaned into Kendrell, "What does the drink do?" he asked.

"I've heard it can enhance the adrenaline or act as a depressant for certain species."

Aeryn leaned back in her chair, "He never listens. Look at him, and we're supposed to be focused."

"I'm focused," John said, emphatically, slamming his hand on the table, and perused the center of the room where the people were dancing.

Kendrell had already drunk the green stuff, "Go ahead, participate."

John slumped in his chair. "Nah!" His head lolled back as Kendrell got up and stood behind with hands on John's shoulders.

"Don't want to participate? Brother man can't dance? Alas, afraid?"

"You think I can't dance?"

"No!"

"Well then," John got up, flinging the chair back while heads turned as it crashed into another table, causing those seated there to jump from the impact. "Let's show 'em how!"

***

They left Aeryn at the table, but John turned back and grabbed her hand, "Come on, Aeryn. Scared?"

Aeryn stood, "Someone has to focus."

John pulled her toward the dancing area. She didn't resist. She put her hands on his shoulders and joined the dance with him. His head was swimming, feeling her warm breath against his neck. He felt happy, happier than he'd been for cycles. 

The music slowed. John held her close; he could tell she didn't know what to do. "Here, put your feet on mines. Like this." John touched her upper thigh, she stepped onto his feet. He did some steps--forward, backwards. She looked flustered but stayed with him. 

"This is strange, embarrassing."

"No, no, stay with me. Feel me, where I go. Feels good, huh?" He cooed in her ear, coaxing her to relax. He sensed her heart patter against his chest. That delicious smell of leather and her skin tingled his senses. "It's okay, just have some fun, baby." He nestled into the curve of her neck and felt her silky hair caress his face. He could stay there forever.

Suddenly, the music changed, the tempo too quick. He saw arms lifting, bouncing heads, stomping feet...if he wanted to call the couple next to him having feet...more like hooves. The strobes were bright, sharp, making him lightheaded, felt good. The base resonated through him, pumped his adrenalin or was it the drink? he couldn't tell. It didn't matter. 

***

Aeryn jumped off his feet in response to his erratic movements, no longer smooth. She stood erect, not making a move while he bounced to the beat, his head bobbing up and down. _Idiot!_ She crossed her arms, began looking around for any disturbance. This wasn't going the way she thought it should. It was good until he started this act of an imbecile. He looked like an archaic piston, jumping up and down, out of rhythm from the others, causing sparks. 

"Feels good, Aeryn," John yelled above the blasting noise. "Go with the flow! Come on, shake those shoulders!"

Aeryn peered at him, cocked her head to the side with arms crossed, "No!"

"Come on, shake 'em like I did when I was in your body, like this." John shook his shoulders, then slightly bent over to shake his hips against hers. "Come on, _baby_!"

__

He is adorable, she thought, _in his clumsy way_. "I...I can't!" She felt him grab her shoulders, and he began to gyrate them. "This is ridiculous, I _won't_!" She swatted his arms away and turned to leave but was trapped by the crowd. She felt seeking hands on her hips and him calling to her, his voice like the deep reverberating hum of her Prowler, "Come on, come on, come on, baby." In a spin, she was directly facing him with his arms wrapped around her waist. Strong arms. Strong lips and she touched them with her fingertips, his bouncing ceased. He stared, said nothing.

"John, I have to check on some things. I have to leave. Please. Get a handle." 

"No, get a grip." This time his voice rumbled, low, soft, like a feline's purr. "Mmm."

"Remember you told us you felt someone following you." He kept caressing her, his hand on the nape her neck, the other on her hip, rhythmic, graceful. "If you would focus on what's around." She felt a pinch on her backside. "Crichton!" She jumped, then laughed with him. His crystal-like eyes sparkled bright with mischief. Despite his manliness, innocence shined through for her that night. She stroked his face and found the creases that ran vertically on each side of his cheeks...dimples was what he called them...they deepened with his smile. Her stomach flipped. _Ignore and focus._

Then she spoke in her authoritarian tone into his ear, "I checked with security and no mechanics or techs were scheduled to maintenance those crafts today. So there is something out there."

"Okay," his voice was still relaxed, low, rumbling in her ear. "I'll keep an eye out." She could feel his hips swerve softly to the beat against her pelvis. It was enticing. Never, never, never had anything felt so good to her except him. _John Crichton_, she thought as she closed her eyes. She was glad she didn't take that drink because her resolve would be lost, and she wouldn't be able to resist this moment for their safety.

"I have to look around." She opened her eyes, unhooked his softening embrace, then went toward the other end of the room. She looked over her shoulder, she saw him standing still in the center of the room with the music blaring, people dancing around him, lights flashing. She heard him from far away. 

"Aeryn?"

She turned away. "Frell," she sighed.

***

"Come now, brother man, thought you said you could dance." Kendrell plopped his hand on John's still shoulder. "Back there for a while you looked like a fish flapping on the beach. Flap, flap, flap, struggling for life, struggling for air. Do you hear me, man, the music's playing."

"Yeah," John said, quietly, barely distinguishable, "I hear you." He still looked in Aeryn's direction.

Kendrell redirected John's attention, as he gracefully showed him ways to shake and move without bobbing. "Keep your center, let your hips, shoulders do the work, not your head." John lamely followed.

"You want lady girl, you've got to have grace, patience. Work her like your pistol. No jerky movements. No self-pity. "

John stopped abruptly, squinting, and locking eyes with this stranger. "What do you mean?" he said slowly.

Kendrell took John by the arm and began toward the table when Aeryn came from behind and tagged his shoulder.

"John! Furlow! Over there!" Aeryn said with urgency, pointing. He turned, followed Aeryn's aim toward the dancing crowd. Only a few metras away, he saw Furlow of Dam-ba-da, the mechanic who fixed his module. The one who took the data on his wormhole research to barter his module back. PAID IN FULL with his counterpart's life.

"Excuse us Adu, we've got an appointment with an old friend." John grabbed Aeryn's arm, "Let's go."

John saw her talking to a few aliens, brown creatures shorter than her and thin as spaghetti. She was probably running a con on them. What shocked him was her dress. John thought all anyone needed to do was take her mechanic outfit, make an ice-green gown with the same restraints under her chest and around her waist, then take a silver headpiece shaped with holes, like a frosting cap...no...a colander, and pull strands of her sandy hair through it. Yeah, _I'll just strain her thin_, he thought.

Before Furlow noticed their approach, John interrupted the heated conversation. 

"Pardon us," John said to her companions, their eyes bulged larger than the width of their bodies. John smiled, "We've got an appointment."

"Don't pay them any mind, they're old customers. You don't mind?" Furlow asked her companions that squabbled. She turned to Crichton with a wry smile, "Looks like they don't--"

Before Furlow finished, John and Aeryn braced her in a tight hold on each side. They whisked the twisting captive away, retrieved their weapons, except Furlow's, and rushed her through the tubules to the outside, where more cacophony sounded.

John and Aeryn, still not speaking a word, took Furlow down a dark alley behind an adjacent skyscraper. To John, she was like a porcupine--playful, cuddly, and eatable to unknowing victims, but painfully dangerous. This 280-pound gal he had to be careful with.

Before John could say anything, Furlow gave that innocent look with her vanilla ice-cream eyes. 

"Here you are," Furlow said, slightly tilting her head, "The sexiest flyboy this side of Yontur."

That sweet quill caught him off guard. John responded with his ego inflated and gave her a grin. "Dang, Furlow, you look mighty spiffy in your rags." 

"A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do." John noticed, she did that shimmy, shake with her head without her headpiece or hair moving.

"What's up! How's the entrepreneur Mama of Dam-ba-da doin'?" 

"Beaming now you're here." Furlow looked at Aeryn, then John. "What happened to you lovebirds? Last time, you were so feely, feely...touchy, touchy."

Another quill. It lanced John's heart to hear his former counterpart and Aeryn were such an item, and everyone else saw it...openly...plainly. Reacting from the pain of knowing, John slammed Furlow into the achromatic structure.

"I'll give you touchy. We've got some questions you'd better answer or you'll be a part of this wall!" John sucked in his lower lip, his face ominous, tense, and pressed his pulse pistol against Furlow's temple.

Aeryn drew John's attention away, touched his shoulder and shook her head. John then released the pressure on Furlow and lowered his pistol.

"What are you doing here?" Aeryn asked. John saw shadows play on Aeryn's face. A dark unfamiliar smile seemed to form out of sheer control near the brink of violence.

"Having a good time, like you guys." Furlow looked at John, "I see you took my advice and let someone else be the hero or you actually did shut down that engine."

__

Another quill. Pain inflicted, thought John.

With a fluid move, Aeryn pushed John aside, and with her forearm and elbow, smashed against Furlow's throat and rammed her onto the structure. "You will tell us what is frelling happening in there and why these people are invited. Understand?"

"You can do your Peacekeeper thing if you want," Furlow said, choking the words out, "but you've got the wrong bait. It's you, not me." Furlow made her triumphant speech, John could see she wasn't giving up anything. He nodded to Aeryn and she released the chokehold.

"We've all been invited," John said, feeling defeated. "So it's no secret. Why are you really here?"

"Wormholes, Scarrans, Peacekeepers, and you..." she rubbed her throat "a melting pot of gold. I wouldn't want to miss it for anything. Oh, did you know the Regent's speaking at midnight and it's only eleven. And, you know, tonight has something to do with the lining up of three moons. Romantic isn't it, like a pagan celebration made in Armana just for you, gorgeous." John saw her scanning him up and down. _Lusty old girl_, he mused. Then unintentionally he perused her full bosom, showing as the sudden refraction of flood lights danced on her milky skin. She blew him a kiss.

John and Aeryn looked at each other. "Let's go back," they said. And they let Furlow go with a bruise to her throat. She strutted away in her ice-green gown, having pierced her victims to senselessness, as with the porcupine's quills.

***

They had returned to their table with no trouble, no interference, and apparently missed nothing of importance. While they were gone, the ushers had cleared their plates and dining ware. At the moment, there were entertainers, a trio, three creatures whose bodies convoluted, like contortionists with swirls of flashes, in and out, out and in. Disgusting. John leaned the back of his chair against the table, turned toward the front stage of the action. He crossed his arms, propped himself, and absently rubbed the fleshy part of his lower lip with the pad of his thumb. 

John noticed Adu had guarded their table while they were away taking care of business. It couldn't just be fate. It couldn't just be fortune. John leaned further. The Regent, Palimous, this whole alliance crap, what did they really want from him? John's scowl didn't go unnoticed by Aeryn's wing man.

"So," Adu said, slapped his hand on John's shoulder. John shrugged at the intrusive gesture. "This is your first time?"

"What are you gettin' at?" John asked.

"Entertainment here on Yontur. Strange isn't it?"

"Nope, no stranger than a cover-up."

John felt Adu withdraw his hand, probably the guy is smiling wider than Texas.

"Ahhh, smart, real smart." Adu shook his full bush of hair and finally sat beside John. 

What was lurking behind Adu's eyes? Seemed like lurkers and lurking were on John's top ten hit list.

***

The dancing trio halted while the clanging, choppy music was replaced with a whiney flute. A voice...a whispered voice was echoing in John's ear. _Secrets. Secrets. Never trust them. Don't be naive. Always watch your step._ John made a startled, thrashing movement with his arm, almost falling out of his chair. Whoops! Guests' eyes gaped at his erratic behavior. 

__

Harvey cut it out, not in public. John's arm now rested on the table, and he sat more erect. Rattlers, when do they cease? _Oh no, not now!_ Harvey appeared with a tutu and ballet slippers over his black temperature suit. 

John rolled with laughter, "You take the cake, Prima. Now, what are ya doin' here?"

"This show of expression is so exhilarating. Dance isn't it? How can you despise it?" Harvey in his silky voice, perused John's outward environment of dimming lights and screens lighting up around the rim of the humongous room. "I am actually enjoying myself. Thank you, John, for not taking my advice and killing me."

"Shut up!" John hissed.

"Are you all right?" Aeryn asked from across the table. 

"Yeah, yeah, just thinking." He hated to get out of control, let them see him talking to the air. God, he was insane. Well, not really. If he behaved this way on Earth, he'd be behind padded walls. Poor shell-shocked Viet-Nam vets, they had their brush with death, drugs, and insanity. He laughed a hallow laugh. Yessir, he was a product of the Uncharted Territories, yours truly, John Crichton, new and used.

Harvey twirled on pointed toes. Offensive. He'll never visualize ballet the same anymore. Harvey huffed and puffed and stopped. "You must watch out because this place is so... wonderful. It would be a pity to see it go. Well, I must make my departure. Goodbye." 

__

Harvey? You son of a--

"John. John, look," Aeryn nudged him and pointed toward the screens. The reception hall had filled with an encircling screen, the walls themselves a complete screen. And Aeryn was no longer across the table, but sitting beside him.

Multiple images of the Regent appeared, then different worlds flashed in an electrical reality. Some worlds John had visited and others he had never seen played on the screen. Then the images moved three-dimensionally from the screens toward the middle of the room. Overtones of the Regent's voice rippled the atmosphere. Holograms now, so real, brilliant, flashed, showing aliens, faces John recognized. 

It was Snow White from that Utopia planet that John had visited early on in his accidental tourist career. Volmae was her name, the leader from the planet Sykar who started a new rebellion, locking all trades in place, starving the Peacekeepers of their Chakan oil. 

The spaghetti couple were king and queen of their world and vied against the Scarrans and the hoofed people opposed the Peacekeeper's hope to truce with the Scarrans. But there were others mentioned by the Regent, many others. 

Then, the finale. _Moya_'s descent on the shadow depository and Talyn's destruction of it, and the Command Carrier's implosion. John was the strategist, according to the Regent's accolades. Yes, John was their main hero.

"Aeryn, how did they...how?" John asked, his face flushed, he was in awe.

Aeryn leaned close, speaking in her deep, matter-of-fact tone, "Analyze this. There are recorders, satellites everywhere, reading what takes place, always leaving a file. You know that Peacekeepers are very efficient. These people could have had a spy and stolen copies of these files."

"Secrets, secrets," John whispered, rubbing his lip harder. The rattlers never subsided.

The lights blasted at full strength and almost made John jump out of his skin, but externally, he appeared calm. He willed himself to stop being jittery and wished for his Winona. 

"We greet you my visitors." The Regent Mo-tan-nish-no glided toward the dais with an outfit, a glimmering outfit. The ruler's robe and hat were constructed of small shimmering gold coins. The rich fat cat poured out syrup-filled compliments. "Everyone, acknowledge our heroes and let us give homage where homage is due! Stand! Clap! Everyone!"

A thunderous response ensued. Chairs screeched back, bodies ruffled, and responded in the humongous hall. The sea of aliens stood with glee, clapped, cheered, and chanted John's name over and over again. So the Super Bowl vision was to be fulfilled here on Yontur. John stood and pulled Aeryn up with him, hoping the tumult would stop, bowed his head hesitantly, and plopped back in the chair. Aeryn sat in cue with John. A frelling, embarrassing experience, especially when he couldn't trust them.

It was an arduous night. The regent had invited John and others to sign an agreement to make an alliance the next day at midday. John planned to be there. He was going to tell them thanks, but no thanks. Once the event ended, John, Aeryn, and Adu left, retrieving their coats and weapons.

It was good to get some fresh air. It was good to get out of there with no explosions or assassinations. Great! He could relax. As they neared a walkway, John wondered why Furlow really was there and why they hadn't mentioned her during the program.

"Adu," Aeryn interrupted John's revelry. "I'll meet with you at the barracks." Adu nodded toward her and smiled at John.

"And the most reverend brother man, you must feel good," Adu said.

"Yeah, like eating crow," John said, looking toward the moons. _Moya_ was behind one of them. Then he pulled up his coat sleeve and looked at his chronometer, midnight? It was a few arns afterwards, near dawn. What were Pip, Sikozu and Palimous doing? Adu had already said goodnight and left. Aeryn was peering at him, tilting her head. He saw her, but as if from far away. He felt a piece of himself was gone. Was he a copy, missing a part of himself or just plain homesick?

"I...I still don't trust them." John said, while walking toward the Complex Royale.

"You don't trust anyone."

"Are we going on this merry-go-round again?" His words came too quickly, too sharp. He hoped Aeryn wouldn't take offense.

Aeryn smiled coyly, "We've had good results."

He chuckled. She always brought him back to reality. He felt real with her and put his arm around her waist. It was so good to be back with her. "Okay, I don't trust the Regent, Palimous, or Adu."

Aeryn kept astride once John took his arms off her waist and began to gesture and explain. He stopped at the alley where they confronted Furlow. "See, there was no mention of Furlow. I would think she's pretty key in all this. And these people, they're rich. They're too far out in this territory along with the planet's resources being low. There's not enough water. And they're rich. There's a symbiotic thing going on here, and I've got to find out who it is." 

"Then why don't you leave now? Avoid all this?"

"What? And not check out why they need me? It would be rude for me to up and leave like that. You know me, Aeryn. I've got to know who, what, why, when, and how. Besides, I'm afraid we're being set up like sitting ducks ready for peacekeeper target practice."

Aeryn shrugged her shoulders, "Then we'll have to prepare for ambush. Simple as that."

John raked his fingers through his hair, "It's not that easy with you here." His voice was low, deep. He pulled her closer, sniffed her wonderful scent that drove him wild, and gently stroked her face.

"What do you mean?" Her voice went to a purr. "I'm battletested." 

"I know, but--" He felt Aeryn's muscles tense. She abruptly backed away. "Tell me now, Aeryn. We've got to talk before things get nasty." She glanced back.

"John, do you see something, about five motras away?"

"No, it's too dark." But he felt his hackles rise, prickles up his arms.

"Wait," Aeryn paced ahead through the alley. John could see her shadowed figure, but other forms seemed to coalesce into clumps near the structure's wall. God, they were everywhere, and they stank.

"John! Ru--" Aeryn started to yell, but her sounds became muffled. A struggle was ensuing.

John whipped out his pistols and pulled the triggers to fire. No response. He sniffed them. The Chakan oil smelled flat. He heard Aeryn yell again, a strangling sound this time, but there was no pulse fire coming from her direction. He hit his comm for D'Argo. That didn't work either. Frell! Nothing worked!

"Aeryn!" John yelled, swerved, and swerved again, boxing at a massive, but indistinctive form that overtook him. He couldn't breathe or see. They blew something in his nose and eyes. Pain. Little hands grabbed him everywhere, suppressing him. Black little creatures with ember eyes. They brought him down, slammed him to the ground. John struggled, but they swarmed, then melted away as fast as they appeared.

"Aaaaeryn!" He yelled down the alley where she disappeared. His heart drummed too loud. His thinking became clouded by the continuous roar in his head. His chest heaved with pain. He bounced up and dashed toward her last direction. His hands felt the walls of the structures, then helplessly pounded on them. He hoped, cried they would open and deliver Aeryn to him. Nothing. He knew she wouldn't answer back. She was gone. Out of fear or sheer need, he kept yelling for her. Fury became his companion. His vision was blurred. His eyes burned. He tried to regain control. Aeryn could take care of herself. She could. He tried to convince himself. But they had stolen her, those dark, dirty creatures. The regent and Palimous! _It's their planet. They have to know something._

He ran toward Armana's Temple of Gratuities. 


	6. Nightmare On Yontur Street

****

Chapter 6 - Nightmare on Yontur Street 

Palimous leaned over the Regent within an office just as opulent as the Complex Royale. The Regent's desk was located in front of an all-window wall, boasting a panoramic view of the city and mountainous landscape. Crystalline furniture with an iridescent plush white carpet mimicked the plush of the Royale. A hint of melon stretched in a fine line over the horizon, receding the dark. It was a couple of arns near dawn. 

The Regent was satisfied with him always bringing profits, handling the city dwellers, or negotiating the residents out of their homes. The pompous dignitary always flustered and wondered how the homeowners so willingly surrendered their dwellings for the building of this beautiful complex. But it was no worry as long as the mines were kept in high working order and producing the rich CL3. 

__

Soon, thought Palimous, as the Regent took a writing tool and tugged at his coined cuffs, _soon I will be the richest man of all three planets and moons, too_.

Mon-tan-nish-no smiled with jowls flailing as he spoke, "The papers are ready for my guests' seals. Do you have Commander Crichton's ready? We must ensure his is first. He is so important."

"My Regent," Palimous said, diffidently. "Oughtn't we delay this great on taking? As you know, we are under much scrutiny and danger."

"Now why, my dear aid, should we prolong this milestone? Pre-adventure, the longer we stall, the more exposed we are. We must act now." The old gurgling geyser smiled. "It was wonderful tonight, wasn't it? The gods of three moons will be very pleased, and angels even danced. We have celebrated without reservation."

Palimous bowed and saw the business woman, standing aloof in a corner just as obese as his beloved Regent, dressed in her ice-green waiting patiently to be paid for the shipment of CL3.

"My Regent, we have responsibilities also. And I have hired helpers for this gala that, I might add, was quite successful by your own words," Palimous said, bowing his head again.

"Oh, we'll do it tomorrow." The Regent waved his hand at Palimous, dismissing him as if he were dirt.

"We will do it tonight if I may insist. She must leave tonight." Palimous' tone rang with authority.

"Oh bother, Palimous, sometimes you can be a pest. Bring her over." The Regent slid further in his large crystalline chair. To Palimous, this was the laziest glutton he had ever served and too soft-hearted. As if all people had a chance to make their lives better with education and social graces. No graces would slate clean a slave's stench. And no education would purify a contaminated alien. There was no tolerance for racial interbreeding.

It was as much as Palimous could take being near the creature Sikozu. Palimous shuddered at the thought of her. But he had his duty to check _Moya_ for weapons and dismantle them. Since there were few weapons aboard the biomechanoid and he had free access loading and downloading the food, it was deliciously easy. Just turn on his molecular disabler tool, one pressure of his hand, and that was all it took. It facilitated everything. It worked proficiently on inanimate objects, oils, metals, even the defense satellites. But, unfortunately, not on corporal beings. Flesh. Somehow the properties of flesh were too concentrated. Pity. Fools. 

There was a disturbance outside the doors. Noise, then the doors blasted open, and he rushed in like a dark blur. The intruder scanned the room with ice crystal eyes and aimed two pulse pistols at their heads, execution form.

"Well, look a here!" He sneered, with mouth contorted. "Jughead! Oh, we've got Heckle and Jeckle!" The infamous Crichton snapped his aim toward the Regent, the other pistol at the hireling in green. "Isn't this rich. Gotcha all in the same pot."

***

Furlow stood in the corner with the threat aimed at her. She squinted her eyes. This was the first time she feared John Crichton. He was always her flyboy, cute, harmless, like a round juicy baby to be sold at an excellent bid, ignorant of danger, deception. 

__

He isn't the same, she thought. _He's tighter, meaner, darker. What's missing from him?_ Her head shook, slightly, as she mused, _Well picture that. Naivety. It's gone!_

Now he had an edge, a very jagged edge. Would he have killed her out there at the complex? Her hand went to her throat and rubbed the bruise.

"Hold it! No one moves! Don't touch anything. Raise your hands slowly. Easy now" Furlow took cue upon John's coaxing. Both her hands raised in surrender. "That's it. Everybody, up, up, up!" He laughed a frigid, canned laugh, empty and cold as they all did his bidding. "Yeah, I like that!"

***

"Why is this happening?" the Regent cried, with arms up, jowls flapping, and eyes pleading. "Why are you holding us like this? Why are you doing this, Commander Crichton?"

__

Secrets, secrets. Don't trust anyone. The words whispered, swam in his head, separating him from his reality. John shook his head to shake away the noise, "Hold it, Heckle," his aim remained on the Regent, "I don't have anymore patience here 'cause it's another good night to die."

Palimous slowly lowered his arms. "Yes it is," he said, "but it will not be us to die."

"Hold it right there, Jughead." John nodded his head toward the aid, "Keep 'em up."

Palimous leaned against the Regent's chair, "And why should I if your pistols are disabled? We are not in danger."

"Well," John kept a sharp focus on any movement. It appeared his hunch paid off. Now he knew Palimous sabotaged the guns. This was getting sticky. If Palimous sabotaged the guns, then he could've done the same to _Moya_. He had to gain control. "Okay, look at my holsters." John saw the dweeb's eyes widen, yeah, noticed both Winona and Ryder in their holsters. "Oh, and check this out." John aimed above Furlow's head and fired a blast from the weapon. She ducked from the fiery blaze. "Analyze _that _you geezer!"

"How?" Palimous asked.

"Idiot, easy. A little Vulcanian nerve pinch mixed with a Pantak Jab and _voilà!_ You've got two pulse pistols. Since we're here in Holdup Class 102 are there anymore questions?"

Dry throats swallowed and tension thickened like a fog as thick as stale oatmeal. "Why?" the Regent broke silence, his voice trembling. "Why did I ever trust you, Palimous?"

"Because you stink in my nostrils, you br-r-r-aggart." Palimous hissed, rolling his r's. "You think the world of yourself, your perfect little city, planet. Well, you're proven correct. Anyone can make the best of themselves. _I _will be sitting in _that _chair."

"You will be punished when I get through with you." The Regent kept his arms up and that was all John wanted.

"Whoa!" John pointed Palimous to keep his arms raised. "This is not a family meeting. So you'll--"

The air current crept up his back; a swishing noise changed the pressure in the room. He'd become more sensitive to reactions around him, even atmospheric changes. Without seeing or turning, John knew someone had come through a hidden door within the wall and was approaching from behind. He pivoted fast enough to hold whoever it was at bay. 

__

God help me!

"No. He will not be punished." She said, in an imperial tone. She came forward, her collar flashing with sequins, her elegant black gown, revealing her abysmal cleavage. She stealthily crossed the room toward him, locking eyes. He saw her liquid smooth skin that could freeze over a cadaver and those eyes of hers, cold, that made his belly rattle. He was surprised she had an affect on him--fear, repulsion, attraction all at once.

"The overseer is with me." If quicksilver could talk, it would sound like her. She never broke eye contact with John. She came closer, slowly, as if time existed to serve her whims. "My infamous Crichton." He remembered his hands caressing her short black hair, intertwining with her. He trembled and wished he didn't remember. 

Yep, she was Betty Boop turned vamp. His lip curled under. A snigger came from his belly then metamorphosed to a rude, disrespectful bellow of laughter. He still aimed firm at her forehead. And he still held the other pistol at the window and corner where Palimous, the Regent, and Furlow stood. 

"Well, if it isn't the audacious, butt-smackin' Elvira! I should've known you were behind this." 

She came closer touching the midsection of her cleavage, delivering sweat for him. 

"Hold it." John shook his head. "Nah-uh, it's not nice to fool mother nature!" John laughed, jerked his head. "You can take your Heppel oil, Commandant Mele-On Grayza, and stick it up yours where the sun don't shine."

Commandant Grayza continued toward John with her lavender stare.

"Stop! _Entiendes Inglés?_ No Spanish fly for me. I've got my folks out there with cannon blasters and detonator rounds enough to blow everything and everyone sky high. Now you better listen to me and listen good." He sucked in his breath and exhaled forcefully. "Because if you don't tell me where Aeryn is..." he paused, he was dead serious, and the whirring in his head was coming back. 

"I'll kill you all."

"Then what makes you suspect we have harmed or even touched your love, Aeryn?" She smiled, inching toward him.

"You think I'm stupid?" John snapped his pistol at her, "Stop!" Mele-On obeyed. "You were all in this. That alliance thing was crap, right?"

Mo-tan-nish-no shook his head, "No, I do not speak for them. I was sincere, Commander. I never should have trusted my most willing confidant, Palimous. We will punish him."

"Again, Regent, you won't," she said, turned to Crichton. "Commander, how long do you expect to hold us hostage with your weapons?" She slowly, distinctively pronounced each word, clearly concisely like the sound of ringing crystal.

John twiddled with the triggers, coiled for any movement. Yes, his arms were tiring, but he was going to find Aeryn, and Commandant Cleavage was going to pay.

"John," Her eyes actually took on a frigid way of pleading. "I'm doing this for the good of our existence. Everything done here in this place is for peace. Peace with our neighbors within these territorial borders. The Scarrans are complying, and we must continue negotiations to truce and maintain order. You must see reason."

"Oh? I've seen reasons like yours on my home planet. Yeah, Mati Hare, Cleopatra. But worse of all, Jezebel. She loved power. She viciously killed her priests or anyone who got in her way. Sounds familiar?" No response. But his arms were still steady. "Thought so. You know what happened? She fell from her tower and the dogs tore her apart, limb by limb. They licked the flesh from her bones. And her bones were scattered everywhere." John waved his pistol at her and laughed his canned laugh. "Someone's gonna find your bones scattered to the four corners of this universe. And guess what? There won't be a funeral for you!" 

John backed away. He was worried. Where was D'Argo, his backup, his buddy who hadn't arrived or even contacted him? The whirring in his head was turning full amp. Frell, his comm didn't work, so D'Argo wouldn't be able at find him and Aeryn. He was on his own.

Grayza backed up toward the secret door, speaking, "One life for trillions? Then you are more imbecilic than I thought." She suddenly thrust her arms down and barked a command. "Access now!"

He didn't see it coming. The whirring worsened, now with his body paralyzed. It was a shield, something that held him in place. A milky substance hovered around him, and his vision became ambiguous. His pistols fell from his grasp when his arms failed him. His head lolled on his shoulders. Delirium could only explain that darkness coming to claim him, take him to a bed of torture not knowing where the frell was Aeryn. 

__

Aeryn?

***

The Commandant allowed Furlow to slip away with little monetary support and had Palimous render the Regent unconscious. It was exemplary how Braca and Palimous had a demobilization unit installed. A unique instrument that discharged neural commands temporarily from the body. Excellent choice of defensive weaponry and guised right under the Regent's nostrils. 

She and her guards took their prey to the underground science lab. It was conveniently located near her Command Carrier now hidden in the outskirts of the city behind a mountain chain. It took only three quarters of an arn to arrive, and it was time for Commander Crichton's neural commands to awaken.

She walked into the laboratory where her captive hung, shirtless, with arms overhead in a restraint braced to the ceiling and his legs straddled apart. His pink flesh and black leathers contrasted interestingly against the soft white walls. His whole figure formed a decussate pattern. Excellent. 

Her heart palpated to be near that untouched, untapped barbarism in the human. Animal. She had experienced him and wanted to know him again. _I will_, as she contemplated. _The experiment will commence._

***

He sneered when he noticed her standing there, gazing, "There's Elvira, ready to lend us a taste of her butt-smacking ways. Hey, how does it feel being the top whore in the district?"

She came before him and lifted her chin. "Unlike your familiar friend, Scorpius, I have more interesting methods of getting my way and being compensated. I have this." She reached in her pocket and pulled out the Laka. "I had it tested to see why it is valuable to you."

"You freakin' whore," John growled, "Come and get me then. You want some of me, you'll have to come closer." His muscles in his neck coiled, tensed ready to strike.

"Shall I?" she drew closer, reaching for her sweat, nigh to John. He pulled his head back and clobbered her directly on her skull with a resounding crack, sending her backwards on the floor. Though a surprise attack, that was all he could do, restrained.

She reeled from the impact, "Imbecile!" she spewed, stood, and brushed her outfit in place.

"You will wish you hadn't done that. Now, I will not be gentle. Captain!" 

***

Captain Braca stood a soldier's stance, sporting his fine red and black officer's uniform. As his Commandant approached him, he bought his shoulders back, chest out, and lifted his chin. Perfection was an instrumental swath to her heart. To please her had become a fetish. In all his boyhood and career there had never been such a turbulent, challenging, and delectable superior to command within his ranks.

He hated how Crichton had become an obsession with his Commandant. Not a day passed when she would mention the need to find him. Oh, it didn't matter what happened to Crichton's band of degenerates, but all she would proclaim was she must have Crichton _now_. And it didn't matter what happened to him who served her wholeheartedly, either. Braca glowered at the thought of his Commandant pushing him away when he showed the slightest affection.

But in a little while, she would perceive him differently. Perfection would win her. For he had discovered this planet a cycle ago, this world with potential weaponry comparable to the wormholes, or at the least, a bargaining tool to hold the Scarrans at bay for an alliance. It was he that orchestrated the alliance between her, Palimous, and Furlow. It was _he _that hired the sub-dwelling miners and plotted the capture of Aeryn Sun and determent of John Crichton. All these accomplishments summed to perfection. She was the pinnacle of his desire. Her dark strength, her eloquence, her knowledge on how to master a Peacekeeper's heart was...was unprecedented. 

Mele-On-Grayza took the container of prongs from him, displayed in the center of the box on a red cushion.

"Captain," Grayza said. Undeniably her voice brought him a chill of excitement. "Abide here while I begin the first phase. Afterward, I want you to supervise the compacting of the Fribium and CL3. And also ensure the Spherical is ready. When we board the Command Carrier with Crichton, I want us to release it. We must not fail."

His eyes never leveled to hers, but gazed at her forehead. It was a Peacekeeper's duty not to esteem themselves higher than their superior. "Yes, Commandant, I assure all will transpire as desired."

She placed one ungloved hand on his cheek. He closed his eyes from the warm gesture he so missed for monens.

"Watch, Braca, and learn." She withdrew her hand, leaving his face without that comfort. 

Braca smiled with bitter disdain as she walked away. How fortunate the prongs fell into an acidic-based chemical that could burn through corporal tissue. What a masterful design that he could dilute the solution and surreptitiously apply it to the very prongs she was about to use on the human. It would cause excruciating pain on the wounds for days hence. He sneered, then smiled as he watched his Commandant put on her gloves, then the prongs.

***

When Braca had entered with a hand behind his back and the other holding a metal container, John wanted to pour anti-freeze fluid down that lap dog's throat. Braca's smirk made his blood boil. Presently, Betty Boop took metal fingertip prongs from the container. After donning her thin black gloves, she popped them on slowly in front of John, while each prong clasped on each finger, one by one. They appeared like small glistening daggers an inch long and thick as the prong of a fork. His chest heaved. His lungs starved for oxygen as fear gripped him, _Stupid, stupid me. I've got to stop clobbering people on the head_. He grit his teeth and closed his eyes when she went toward his back. _Feel the pain. Embrace it. _

He felt a line of wet coolness, like tongue licking, down his lower back. Not a happy place. 

"Mmmm. You still have the scratches on your back." He felt her gloved palm slide slowly, sensually down, lower. John sprang his eyes open. Too low. She came toward the front of him, sliding her hands where the sun don't shine. A powerful gash seared his flesh. John yelled, his feet involuntarily stomped the floor. His thighs constricted, a reflex from his nerves being severed.

"No Laka to help you, Commander? Is there?" She showed the prongs tipped in blood. "This shouldn't cause you so much pain. You should like this. Come, don't whimper or faint on me, I need you awake."

He quivered, fearing his manliness gone. "Okay," his voice sounded hallow to his ears, "you got me. What do you want?"

She called for Braca again, gave her Captain a fingernail spike, and spoke with him then returned.

"Don't fret, your members are in good condition. But you owe me for the defacement you caused on Arnessk." She pointed to her forehead where a bruise began to appear. "And for this." Before he could respond, she circled behind again. He felt a cool breeze rush up his back. Fire! She had slashed down with the prongs. The muscles were lacerated and opened a maw of pain that raged through his veins, like a back draft, rendering him mad. He roared, convulsed each time she slashed more. 

He shook in the restraints, his legs were lead, and his full weight gave way to gravity. His wrists were chaffed from the cuffs. She peeled off the spiked fingernails and sanguineous gloves, then cupped his limp head in her hands. "I will make you feel better. Here, your exodus." With one hand she stroked John's sable hair and with the other she gave him a whiff of her gift. His muscles constricted, coiled, and his eyes rolled back. His mind was no longer lucid, but far away, shadowed with disgust. 

He was submissive to two traitorous parts of him: his thinking, which revealed the filthy pain, agony, and shame of want and betrayal, and his body, which exposed the mauling, lust, and visible scars of abuse. All of him roared with pain. He cried for the Laka to decrease the infliction of his lacerations, but she never lent it to him.

"Here, take more of this. You'll like it after awhile." Her voice was distorted as if she were speaking through water. He could hardly understand her, and gray shadows attacked the edges of his vision. She made him sniff more of her crap. "It will help to relieve the pain just like your Laka whilst we wait."

She left him there to dry and surrender his mind to the dark void of unconsciousness.

Hours probably passed, maybe days, or weeks. John woke to feel stickiness on his back, then the pain started again. The flow of blood throbbed sharp pulses through his heart. Where was he? John expected to move freely but found the cuffs on his wrists and ankles. His T-shirt was gone. His throat caked with thirst. A noise rushed in his head, body, _Die, die, my darling._ What happened?

__

Anybody here? Hey! Gone...gone, he couldn't speak. He conjured enough saliva to appease his parched throat by swallowing only to feel the burn. John moved his arms and felt fire reek through his body almost paralyzing him. How much more could he bare?

A door slid open, the new air stung his exposed back. Each time he moved, the cuts flamed on. He knew what happened when he saw her. His nightmare on Yontur street. He laughed, each motion an affliction. "Well, here's Elvira. Whassup, princess of darkness."

"Awake so soon? And it has been only two arns. You are resilient. I have news for you, Commander." Grayza said, motioning Braca to enter. "Your DNA matches the DNA sample of your loved one, Aeryn's child."

John froze, motionless. The words wrapped in his mind and strangled all other noises. John was lucid. Grayza had to have Aeryn in custody in order to compare DNA. How could he get Aeryn out of this predicament all tied up? John started rattling the chains, twisting his wrists to free from the cuffs.

"Captain Braca, turn on the mirror." She gestured with her hand not moved by John's wrestling.

John saw Aeryn lay motionless behind the two-way mirror on a slab with a mechanical arm hanging directly over her ready for its work. Two attendees were at her side. One attendee operated the machine. The other unzipped Aeryn's vest and pulled up her shirt tail to expose her stomach marked with a purple line. Extended from the apparatus was a robotic arm holding a needle or knife. It pointed at her stomach and touched her with a paper-thin cut. Then the machine withdrew. Aeryn's restraints remained clasped.

"What are you doing?" the words came somewhere deep in his throat, chocking him, raw, almost unrecognizable.

"I need your undivided attention to the matter of wormholes. Your wholehearted cooperation is key to her survival. Braca, audio on for the commander's side!" John suddenly could hear the machine whirring on pause to strike by command from Aeryn's room. "Commander, this is for Aeryn's benefit and will inspire her to cooperate also. If you do not comply, then you jeopardize both her and the child." She gestured again, "Captain Braca, audio on for his Aeryn."

It was a nightmare hearing Aeryn scream, curse, and begging them to release her and John. It was just as horrible to have no control to stop this vampire from sucking the life out of his heart. Another arn had passed by and he still hadn't found a way to escape. If he played possum, gave in, maybe Betty Boop would give him some slack. He'd find a way, make a plan...something. But the whirring continued and his back felt nastier.

Then came the Heppel oil...the caustic smell reeking through his veins to his brain. She kept making him sniff, making him feel like silly putty, wanting someone to touch him, mold him with their hands. In the beginning he could deny her, fight her, but after a couple of arns that faded, even the knowledge of Aeryn watching.

__

Aeryn? His heart pleaded for her forgiveness.

***

"Let her go," he said, weakly, his voice sounding metras away. "I'll give you anything. Just don't hurt her."

"Who do you want now, Crichton?" she asked.

"You," He weakly, opened his mouth to hers. Ahhh, her perfume was working after many doses. Her human's wounds had been tended to decrease the bleeding just a little while before he became conscious as she entered the room. The five arns spent with him was well invested. Though he was quite stubborn, more applications of her perfume seemed to weaken him. Her experiment now was in the second phase. His love, Aeryn, needed to witness and to react in this phase for him to completely submit. To break pride and independence was imperative for creatures like John Crichton. To break his will would be victorious through dominance.

She backed away and pushed a button on the wall near the mirror. A gray metal slab vertically rose from the floor near the back of John.

"Who do you desire more than anyone around you?" She said, loud enough for John to hear.

"You. Always you." His eyes appeared broken, his will gone. Excellent, next level. She hit another button and the magnetic cuffs slid to attach to the slab and the chain restraints released from the wall and floor, but the cuffs remained on to keep John adhered to it. Another button was hit and the slab turned from vertical to horizontal with John's limp, recumbent body. 

She came to bend over him, "You would forsake Aeryn Sun and your child for me?"

He said nothing, but closed his eyes and groaned.

"Would you forsake Aeryn Sun?" Grayza watched the human's mouth twitch, lips curve under. _Stubborn beyond comprehension, even after I have drowned him in my oil_, Grayza thought. Her voice edged with ice, "Commander, I will slice the child from the mother's womb. Do you want that?" His last pitiful attempt was futile. The human's arms thrashed against the slab, hands too confined to hit her. He still negated her. "Med techs, turn on the slicer!"

The ragged noise began, a raw grinding only for hardened ears. The knife once again came closer to his love's belly.

"No!" The human pleaded. He abruptly stopped his resistance. She saw the watery urgency well in his eyes, swirling, bright like the stalactite of Yontur. "Please, don't hurt them. Please." His plea took on a pitiful whimper, but proved her experiment was working. 

"I ask for the last time before fatal injury is inflicted. Would you forsake Aeryn Sun and child?"

His tears trickled down, leaving hot wet trails. She felt his face, he was flushed with heat. How strange she had never witnessed this reaction that only an infant would make. Her life had no room to cry for others or even herself. She had not signaled to commence cutting, neither had any harm ensued, and yet, he grieved for his love as if she were dead.

Perhaps he had been saturated with too many drugs. With mercy, she asked again, "Would you forsake her?" 

"Yes."

"You will explain all the details of the wormhole for my scientists?"

"Anything."

She unclasped the cuffs. He sat up and gasped. His muscles quivered. His arms and shoulders were round with hills of raw muscular power. Not bulky or hard, but pliable. She licked his shoulder, that pad of powerful flesh, flushed, plump and ready for her mouth.

He was prone, vulnerable, quivering from each spot she touched. Virile. After he reclined on the slab with her above him, she licked the salty fluid from his heaving chest. Delicious hair brushed on her tongue. Beads of sweat glistened on each strand. She growled with light-headed pleasure. Her hand slid down his slender hips, fine muscles, taunt. He responded lifting his pelvis for her hand to rest beneath.

He was different from all her pursuits. The Peacekeepers she embraced were old cantankerous, liquor-swollen bellied men or robotic boot-licking men like Braca. 

Yes, she was weak with attraction toward this human's body and could have killed him on sight as she had done so many others. But his mind held empirical, powerful information that enticed her. More so was her curiosity of his reactions, so emotionally driven, passionate. She relished his conflictive response, pushing her away, drawing her in. Delicious. Every concubine's dream. She kissed the drugged human, and he responded with lips that covered her mouth, lips that knew just how to tantalize, titillate every female's desire. His raw scent, appealing, told her it was time for him to take her in.

***

Could time stop for her, unwind like an engine in reverse? She should have stayed aboard _Moya_, stayed with John and faced the future without fear. But these past arns were a test for any being. The med techs allowed her to see through the two-way mirror the size of a wall. She heard Grayza convince John to denounce her and their child. Those words stung. She placed her hand over her stomach where the wound hurt. Their child. Before, she had screamed relentlessly for them to free John, that she would cooperate only if he were let go. They had not complied.

The two attendees had unclasped her cuffs, departed, and left her lying on the med table while the assault continued on him. How much more could a human bear? No pride, resolve, or control protected him now from Grayza. And she had failed him. She lay there gaining her equilibrium and strength while looking at the machine now silent. 

It was plain as darkness. The white walls screamed of their presence, a prison as cold as a dead budong. The attendees left her to suffer his pain. Seeing him melt into the trelk's arms was all she could bare. Her eyes blurred. And she realized that somewhere, somehow she had conformed to John's morals. It wasn't her to become invidious of the person she'd paired with to recreate with another. Spreading fluids, recreating, being assigned with another partner was nothing -- no demands, no answering to each others ways, thoughts, or moods -- only teamwork mattered. When had she become more like John? Thinking, talking, even acting like him, was she herself anymore? She stood with shackles freed, then stood behind the mirror to watch him break into pieces, into nothing.

But now she was stronger.

The impenetrable walls would not keep her helpless. _They will fall._ She slammed shoulder first countless times against the two-way mirrored wall and grunted, then kicked until she almost fractured her ankle.

"No! You won't do this to him. _FRELL YOU!_" Aeryn reversed and slung her hair back. Heavy noise...roaring, like firestorms in her head...crimson blinding her eyes, she saw only carnage. She sprinted toward the window and slammed full force rupturing her hands. Pain. This pain she didn't feel. It was Crichton's. She reeled over from impact and fell to the floor. Darkness flooded her senses, foolish attempts fueled by anger. Heat, burn, a sticky wetness appeared on her wrists and washed down her arms. She had broken skin and only fractured the first layer of glass, but didn't penetrate the second. _Frell. Show no weakness, no stopping now._


	7. Fever: Solar Day One

****

Chapter 7 - Fever: Solar Day One 

Transmogrification of time swirled in blue. Peaceful ripples of space and time continuums were his trusted dream. He could see formulas swirling pass on the back of wormholes. Configurations ran through his mind like clockwork, blocking the filth and shame brought on him. He reached for home, family, friends, and Harvey. None were there. None were neutral like the wormholes. The swirl of sea that vibrated before him, fluctuated in and out, never made demands on who he was, how strong or capable he appeared. For the whirlpool of space trusted him, received him as he was.

__

She doesn't have my heart.

The tortured soul surrendered himself to that place. He rested. He wasn't there when Grayza took him in and found her peak in pleasure. He escaped in his mind to the place that his wormholes provided. Safety. Protection. Pride. There was no Grayza, Braca, Aeryn, or child.

But the cold and dark remained for him as Commandant Grayza and her guards carried him away to another place. The cold and dark pushed away his dream when they threw him into another cell where arms caught him. And all he could do was fall away and curl into a ball.

***

Aeryn backed away from the door and when she heard clicks of the access code release the locks. Before, she had torn her shirt tail to dress her wounds, ensured they were tight enough to stop the blood flow. She had also noticed John was removed from the lab. Now she was prepared to escape, hearing the locks slowly surrender to the combination. Finally, it slid opened and two dark clad guards, armed and ready, rushed in to restrain her. They held Aeryn while she struggled against them, then she ceased when a third guard slid a disc across the smooth floor. They released her to retrieve it.

"Take the sealant, prisoner," the guard said, sneering. "It's for your wrist. Complements of Commandant Grayza." He and the other guards backed away toward the entrance with their pulse rifles aimed at her.

Aeryn said nothing, having retrieved the sealant. She stood there waiting for them to leave to seize another chance for escape. 

Before the cell door half closed, another dark figure pushed aside the third guard. "I also have another gift for you, Officer Sun," Grayza said, smiling easily, shielded by her guards. "Bring him, Captain Braca." Grayza signaled and moved away from the door to leave room for Braca and the guards. The door opened further. Two guards dragged the limp form to Braca, and the Captain personally threw the human into the cell.

Aeryn said nothing while this changing of the guards took place. She knew with disgust this was no gift being given to her. She twiddled the sealant in her hand as she watched the guards change. Immediately she recognized who it was. She ran to Crichton, and caught him in her arms. From sheer impact she fell with him to the floor then got up on her knees. He fell away from her arms and rolled in a ball. She saw John was now clothed in his black T-shirt. She knelt over him and wondered why he was so weak, traumatized. Without Aeryn noticing, Grayza and her men left them alone.

Aeryn felt his head, the beads of sweat perpetuated. Fever? He was hot, but why? Heppel oil did not make anyone feverish. She grabbed him from the back, trying to pick him up, gripping under his arms. She hadn't expected the next freakish incident. John lunged away, screamed, arching his back, reaching from behind.

Now she understood what John meant by heart attacks. His fiendish yell, penetrated her ears down to her soul. John should never be in such pain. She ran to where he had took flight across the stark white room near the wall, on all fours with head lowered like a butchered animal. She came toward him and tried to lift his hung head. From her contact he reeled back and fell on his buttocks. He closed his eyes, curled his lip under, and trembled. 

"John? John? What's wrong?" His arms flagged her away. "John, say something!" She had to yell, had to get his attention. "Tell me what happened to you?"

"No, no...go away! Don't touch me, please!" He cried out. 

How many times could she count when she had seen him weep? None. Others said he had wept when Crais came aboard _Moya_ for asylum. Friends said he had wept before her funeral when they retrieved her body from the ice lake. Now she witnessed his tears falling. She bit her lip. Her John was so tormented.

She extended her hand, "John," she cooed to him, "I will help you. I won't hurt you. Where does it hurt?" She pointed to her heart. "Here?"

"Aeryn," he was calmer and reached for her hand, "help me."

"Yes?" She squeezed his hand in return. He appeared he was still fighting to get the words out, his mouth twisting, straining. "You can tell me."

"My back...my back."

She took John's cue. "Turn around. Just a little. I'm lifting your shirt now." Why hadn't she noticed before? There were hints of blood on the material...all over the back of it. Well it shouldn't be anything she couldn't take care of. Aeryn began to slowly lift the garment, but it was caked to his wounds. Aeryn tried peeling it up, she saw the brown scabs coming off as John flinched and groaned. His muscles tensed everywhere. This was causing him unbearable pain. What had Grayza done? Then she remembered the sealant!

"John, stay here, I'm getting something that will help the pain."

She retrieved it and spread it prudently over his shirt to make it easier to remove, then went underneath to get as much exposed skin as possible to soften the scabs. It worked with much deliberation and with John grunting, groaning, and growling. 

Once the shirt was lifted, Aeryn stopped and turned her face quickly away. 

__

Peacekeepers, never grow soft. For blood is necessary to spill. Death is imminent, to be experienced. Embrace it, my children, for it makes you stronger.

She remembered the coaching in training camps. Like a memento, it echoed to her, be strong. Aeryn trembled, moaned, hoping John wouldn't hear. Her hand covered her mouth to block the bile rising to her lips. Had her training failed her? All she had learned nearly trickled away to being overly compassionate. _Gain your strength back. Focus, swallow. Do not fail him again._

He had the basic physical appearance of Sebaceans. She pulled his shirt off to completely expose his back. Her lips trembled and her eyes welled with wetness. _John?_ His beautiful back was marred by evil, swollen, purple and blue. Other areas around the lacerations were black. Five perfect cuts tracked down in three different areas. _Oh, John._ She traced her fingers to find the rifts in his skin. The cuts streaked across the muscles that moved his shoulder blades: the Teres major, Rhomboideus major. Her hand trembled with sealant lower near the Latissimus dorsi and other muscles. She silently thanked her lessons in Sebacean anatomy. 

"Are you any better?" she asked him.

His face contorted again. His eyes opened and he grabbed her arm, nodded. After all the pain, he still smiled.

"You don't have to speak," she shook her head. Her heart swelled, seeing him this way, struggling even to talk. Parents with their children must have felt this closeness, this protective love. She stroked his hair in his silence and lay his head across her lap. She rested her back against the wall and closed her eyes. In her reverie, Aeryn thought of their beginnings. John had survived, but now what was left? 

"Rest, sleep. We have time, John," she cooed. His name was sweet to her ears, sweet like Zhaan's oils and soft on her lips like his kiss. But his name didn't protect him from Grayza's cruelty. He was so innocent, so open in the beginning, and she never appreciated it until now that he has learned their ways.

They had chiseled away at his heart until his last sliver of hope seemed to fade away. John had been a light in her darkness, until he, too, receded into their shadows like a hunted prey. His face was now gaunt with sunken cheeks and weary eyes. The bright golden flickers in his hair that once caught her eye were gone. It was ironic that his world's sun provided the gold in his hair only to have her universe's cruelty to snuff it out.

Aeryn realized this was the first time she'd noticed John's change. She recollected these things that squeezed her heart. Then she drew him to her bosom, held him tight to squeeze away his pain, and cradled him in her arms.

"I...I..." John started, his voice caught. He looked at her, his face strained, "I'm sorry...so sorry." His voice barely above a whisper didn't deter Aeryn's Sebacean ears to hear.

"Shhh, John." She cooed. "I'm here." She remembered how many times he'd taken her into his strong arms and comforted her tenderly through her hardships. "It'll be all right." She cuddled against him, resting her chin on his head, as her tears willingly flowed. "I'm here."

***

"See them cohabitate, Captain." Commandant Grayza said, peering at the two prisoners through her screen. Yontur's stalactite served well within the ocular perch inside the prisoners' cell. Grayza frowned as she saw the two figures huddle together. She turned to her assistant, taunt with peacekeeper code, rigid and erect. Good. But he was resisting her perfume. Though not as unporous as John Crichton, Braca was not obedient as she desired. He was displaying the symptoms of a jealous lover. That was inexcusable, and she would have to rectify this.

"I can see you do not understand why I have done this. Do you, Captain?"

"I don't understand what you mean, Ma'am," Braca said.

"Them." She gestured toward the screen, one human and the other Sebacean, the male's head rested against the female's chest. "I know you have questions why I put them together and why I tortured him the way I did."

"No, Ma'am. A Peacekeeper does not question his superior." 

He was erect as any superior would want their captain. Shoulders back, chest out, stance stiff-backed. Grayza circled him to see his boots a high sheen and hair trimmed impeccably. He was a true Peacekeeper, and she would conquer him as well. 

"I will explain. The human is a creature that breeds on pride and independence, which is a powerful combination for such a one that carries a weapon that could destroy galaxies. There is no justice to this mockery, having such a primitive to wield so much power. Pride and independence must be broken first in order to justify this ridicule. 

"My method of applying pain, but not to the point of scarring, would strip his independence, enabling dependence upon me. My seduction as a female would break his pride, his ability for control. But, Braca, the most important is my dominance, to annihilate his will to be. Simply his will to be a male for Aeryn or anything else he desires. Aeryn had to witness his loss of control, and he had to see that loss in her eyes. This is something many Sebaceans do not perceive. But I do. Do you understand, Captain?"

Grayza could see questions still stirring in his eyes. She came closer to pierce with her lavender gaze.

"Ma'am, why did you have Officer Sun kidnapped first and allow Crichton to get away? He may have escaped us totally?"

"Would he have without his love? Where would Crichton go? To his ship? I think not. As you already know, we had cut off all communication with his crew, his weapons were destroyed, and he had nowhere to go but to Mon-tan-nish-no.

"And, of course, Palimous wanted to see his Regent suffer, so I allowed him that pleasure." She sneered. "Now that Palimous is to be Regent, it will be short lived. 

"And you, Braca. What happened to the prongs? They were not to scar the human."

"I don't know what you mean, Ma'am."

Grayza leisurely wiped her sweat and Braca sniffed. "What did you do, Captain, to the prongs?"

"The...the...prongs, they fell in the chemicals."

"What chemicals?"

"It was a hybrid of hydrochloric acid and a dampening-based solution. It was diluted to slightly burn through tissue and then stop."

"But it caused too much pain, Braca. I might have lost the human. You must not interfere with my designs. Is that clear?"

She caressed his arm and spoke to him in beguiling tones. "Perfection is a swath to my heart. To please me, you must perform your duties as I command and for no one else. Perfection will win my heart." She administered more of her oils for Braca to sniff. "You have discovered this planet, as I desired. This world with potential weaponry comparable to the wormholes will hold the Scarrans at bay for an alliance. We will win, Braca." She smiled stroking his face.

***

Tension, stress, and fear permeated the carapace of _Moya_. Tension brought on by the disbelief of Adu's innocence to the disappearance of John and Aeryn. Stress springing from each crewmember bickering at each other for failure to locate his friends. D'Argo growled at their deficiencies. Fear. But it was fear that choked him, strangling him to obscurity. Fear that he allowed this Adu to expose John and Aeryn, that he would never see them again. Fear that he allowed Palimous aboard _Moya_ without inspecting him, staying hidden as commanded by John. He shouldn't have listened; he shouldn't have trusted the people of Yontur. 

Now, their comms were dysfunctional, and _Moya_ was disabled, floating behind one of Yontur's moons helplessly with no Starburst power.

D'Argo stood at the docking bay door that finally opened to this Captain Adu Kendrell. Before on the planet, Adu confronted him and warned about John and Aeryn's disappearance. D'Argo agreed to rendezvous with Adu on _Moya_ after he had done one more heat scanning for John on the surface. Frelling scanners didn't detect Crichton's heat register. 

When Pilot announced the intruder, D'Argo recognized the foreign build of the ship that it wasn't Peacekeeper issued. It was the only ship with a shape of a Delta wing that John had said reminded him of Earth's jets. This ship was Captain Krendell's.

He waited with arms crossed in tier five docking bay. He would interrogate this Adu before killing him.

The rage increased, blood curdling rage that only was appeased with retribution and vengeance. D'Argo saw his target climb from the Delta-winged ship, and he quickly approached him.

The cool pressure and air swirled around D'Argo as he growled and grabbed Adu by the throat and threw him against the Delta.

"You did this!" D'Argo yelled. "And you will die!" he unsheathed his Qualta-blade and struck the ship.

Adu flashed from his vision, dodged the blow, and rolled on the ground behind him. The creature leaped on D'Argo's back like some feline, covering his eyes to blind him. The rage still boiled, but dark pain filled him when he felt his tentacles pulled. 

"I can kill, too, Luxan," Adu said, loud, exhaling from exertion. "But your friend needs saving," the creature spoke lies in D'Argo's ears, squeezing his tentacles, harder.

"You will be the first to die!" D'Argo swung around, rammed the creature into the Delta, and the creature released and fell to the floor.

"If you kill me, you may never find your friends." In one lithe move, Adu jumped and readied himself to draw his pistol.

D'Argo struggled to still his weapon and made a rumbling noise in his throat, tilted his head, hands itching to thrust the blade through his opponent's flesh.

"Then explain."

"I had nothing to do with dismantling your comms or ship, Luxan." 

"Mmmm, but you had something to do with them being gone, didn't you?"

D'Argo waited for the thick silence to cease with Adu's answer, but to his dismay the hustle and smell of Chiana filled the bay. He saw the gray girl that once had excited him with desire, now infuriated him with her frivolity.

"What took you so long?" Chiana asked. "Where's Crichton?" Her eyes weren't questioning him, but Captain Kendrell.

"How would he know, Chiana?"

"But, but, if you don't know, why can't he? He was with them on Yontur, wasn't he?"

D'Argo growled. She knew frelling too much.

Adu smiled and approached the Nebari, "Ahhhh, so, Chiana, you miss your friends?" he asked.

"Yeah, what've you done with them?"

"The question is, how are we going to find them?"

"Don't listen to him." D'Argo said and returned his Qualta-blade to his sheath.

"But he's right," she said, almost purring. "Pilot can't locate where they are. And you're up here with _Lo'La_. We can't comm anyone outside of _Moya_. So they won't hear us. How are we going to find them?" She dipped her head, lowered her voice, and locked eyes with Adu. "Pilot's located a structure or something on Yontur's surface in the mountain range over a thousand metras from the city. We can't make out what it is, but it's big."

That irritated D'Argo, Chiana perpetually seeking a male's attention. He pulled her away from Adu. "That's enough! Where the drannit is Rygel, Sikozu?"

"Oh, they're searching the food compartments for anything strange."

"What the Hezmana! He'll eat everything! Sikozu should be the only one looking since she was with that pile of dren, Palimous!"

"Okay, come on. Let's go to Command."

"No! Not until you find whatever it is and have Sikozu find a way to reverse this problem. Now!"

"Hey!" she waved her arms. "Okay, okay, you don't have to yell. You need to learn some manners." She slapped his chest. "I need to pull you up by your _mivvoks_!" She was very close; he could feel her breath on his face. "Come on, D'Argo, Sikozu wants to show you something." She grabbed his sleeve and pulled him alongside her. _Sometimes Chiana does prove herself well_, thought the Luxan. Perhaps he was too harsh with her.

Adu followed and laughed, "My Luxan man, I wouldn't want to trouble her."

D'Argo abruptly stopped and peered at Adu with eyes like daggers, "She has troubled me!" D'Argo snorted, and they continued toward the Command Center in tensed silence.

***

The ship was like a golden seashell to Adu, beautiful spinal lacing the walls that had ears. He was familiar with Leviathans, but never had as much contact as he had this past cycle, Elack now _Moya_ both wondrous creatures. It was the massive Command Center that gripped Adu's admiration. It stated boldness, showing the stars through the panorama of space, and stamina, supplying standing stations with no seats or rests for comfort or ease. How could a living structure of this magnificence provide no weapons? 

"It's good meeting you again, Captain Kendrell." Sikozu said, extending her hand to shake as Commander Crichton did on Yontur.

"I can only say, lovely lady, the same," Adu took her hand and brushed it against his cheek. There was no telling to Sikozu's reaction, only her eyes that grew more emerald.

***

She quickly evaded Adu to address the contraption on a console nearby. "D'Argo, this is what is causing our problems. This little machine called a molecular disabler tool. A little box that can emit synthesizing rays to combine molecules at a certain grid. By a simple turn of an internal switch--" She picked up the contraption and rubbed an edge. A square projectile pushed forward from the center to expose a green dial. "--like this." She started to turn it toward a yellow inscription.

"Don't!" D'Argo cried and caught Sikozu's hand. "What are you doing?"

"Well, it's nothing really. I'm still working on this. Don't worry, I know some of it's technology, which is part Scarran and Sebacean, mostly. This is why our Chakan oil is spoiled and John and Aeryn's comms don't work. And if we find one of these in the Starburst chamber, it could be what's causing _Moya_ to be off line. This tool is built to hone in on the article in question, it memorizes the signature, and changes the molecules. However, turning this dial releases the signature and the targeted object can return to its previous state."

"How did you know all this?" D'Argo never trusted this new addition to the family, but at least she was useful.

"Education of higher learning, which I can't say the same for you." She tilted her head and walked away.

D'Argo raced toward her and turned her to face him, squeezing her arms. "How do you know it got put in the chamber and who the frell put it there! Tell me!"

"What I'm doing here, Luxan, is deducing. Maybe it's in the neural cluster or Pilot's chamber. How the frelling would I know?" 

He grimaced and let her go. 

He growled again and turned to Adu. "Too many arns have passed without John and Aeryn. You will go with me to the surface to investigate this."

"I will," Adu said. D'Argo could see Adu knew when to keep silent. The crew was strained and ready to snap. Silence would assuage their beastly mood.

"I only trust you because John and Aeryn have. Maybe I shouldn't."

"I have always been Officer Sun's back wing man. I will ally you, my Luxan, gladly."

D'Argo squinted, growled. He trusted only his family, his friends aboard _Moya_. Adu was neither family or friend.

"Sikozu!" D'Argo called to her. "You've done well." Her eyes grew more emerald, he believed, with satisfaction.

They started toward the docking bay, and Chiana caught up with them. "You, you, won't leave without me."

"We will go alone," D'Argo kept marching through the tiers until they arrived at the docking bay.

"I'm going." She smoothly pushed herself close to him. "Three heads are better than two."

For the first time he laughed, not a simple chuckle or grunt, but bellowed out. "You...you sound like John." 

"Yeah, right, all the more reason why I should come along." Her angular dance, head tilting beguiled the Luxan. 

He couldn't say no to her; she knew where the structure was located.

***

Her wrists throbbed and itched from caked blood. At least her wounds were healing from the leftover sealant. She leaned her head against the white wall. Her hand brushed against his forehead. Flushed. Still feverish. That she knew was dangerous for the human. She moved. He stirred and coughed.

His cough didn't disturb her until some microts later when he began hacking, dry horrible coughs.

"John, John." Aeryn kept calling his name not knowing what else to do.

"We gotta get out of here..." John cried out, weakly attempted to get up and stumbled over. Aeryn caught him before he hit the floor.

"No! You're in no condition to move." She positioned him against the wall to sit with her, shoulder to shoulder.

"Then...I'll find a way...for you...get..._Moya_." His voice faded away and began coughing again.

"No, John, I won't go anywhere." She understood what he meant through his broken speech. He turned to her, eyes rimmed with crimson, face shimmering with sweat. Her heart skipped; she feared for him. "You need help. You're dehydrated."

"Don't worry...about me...I'll be fine. Are you...okay?"

She could see John's query was forced, gasping between breaths, trying to appear normal. "I'm fine."

Then he did something that shocked her. A movement no one had ever done before. He gently put his feverish head and hands on her flat stomach and slightly grazed the small cut with his cheek. She flinched. 

"The baby?" he asked with a dry whisper.

No knife could cut as deeply as this man did with gentleness. Stubborn, selfish, yes he was. But to give so much of himself and unselfishly be concerned about her and their child's welfare was baffling. She smoothed his sable strands of hair and kissed the crown of his head.

"The baby is fine and will continue to be as long as you stay alive." 

John laughed softly into her belly. It tickled and made Aeryn smile. Then he leaned against the wall and began to cry. Aeryn worried, seeing that he was wasting the last moisture he had.

"Are you all right?" Aeryn leaned against his shoulder.

"Yeah," John wiped his tears and began to cough again; it was worse this time.

"You're dry. I have to get you some water."

"No, no...I'll be--" The loud hacking persisted.

"Right answer." She pushed herself away and got up. "I'm getting you some water and more sealant if it kills me."

She stood and watched him. John kept drifting in and out of consciousness. This concerned Aeryn. She had to find a way to escape before it would be too late. He needed medical attention on _Moya_ and quickly.

She banged against the wall again, then noticed the ocular perch. "Hey! You hear me. If you don't let me out, I'll take your precious table and machine and rip it apart. Do you want that? I hear they are very expensive to replace." She ran to the slab and power kicked the arm of the machine and knocked it sideways. She twisted one small metal extension that once held the knife the attendants had removed. After a couple of more kicks and twists, it popped off.

"You see this?" Aeryn waved the extension in front of the ocular perch. "Well, here!" She threw it straight at the lens. The metal made impact, bounced off and cracked the stalactite.

"Grayza, do you want John Crichton to die? I believe you don't. He needs water. Now! Or I will destroy your precious lab."

She backed up to run full speed toward the two-way mirrored wall again to break more glass. Grayza had taken the bait. Aeryn heard the locks open once again. Two armed guards were at the door. 

"You will follow us, Officer Sun," one guard said, reminding Aeryn of herself, grunt work. 

"Where are you taking me?"

The two dark figures said nothing and gestured her to follow, one guard in front and the other behind Aeryn aiming a pulse rifle at her back.

***

It was any High Command's recluse boasting with the necessary frills: white walls, black trim, and the Peacekeeper insignia with the red intersecting triangle all proudly displayed above the large achromatic desk and huge black chair. _Fit for a Commandant, but not for her_, Aeryn thought as she was thrust further into the room.

Aeryn grimaced when the guards, flanked on either side of her, slammed her down on the small stool. The Commandant took no chances. Two more guards were flanked at her desk and two outside the door. _Six guards total and no Braca._

"Officer Sun," Commandant Grayza said, breaking Aeryn's observations only for a microt. "Would you like some Raslak or Fellip Nectar? I have other drinks of high quality." Grayza headed toward the decanter. Aeryn noticed to her left a tall ebony glass cabinet full of weapons and some clothes articles. She couldn't decipher what type or whose they were, but as any article of value, they were padlocked by reinforced steel.

"I didn't come for liquor. I came for water and sealant. That is what John needs."

"John?" the Commandant took the valuable decanter and poured Raslak into the goblets.

"Yes, John. Remember? He's the one you just frelled with."

"You haven't the slightest idea why you are here, do you?"

"It seems you're taking the long way around to prove why we should be."

"I will make this simple for you. You are here because of Commander Crichton. And he is here because of peace, which makes both of you peacemakers."

"Don't frell with me. You don't know what the word means. What are you? Some freak? Why would you almost kill him and leave him for dead to proclaim of your foolish peace to me?"

"Here, have some Raslak. It will calm your nerves."

Aeryn slapped the drink from her hands and stood up, locking eyes with the Commandant. "I wouldn't drink from filth like you, stealing his dignity. What are you? Nothing but dren for the Palmoniam meat hounds to eat the flesh from your bones. That's all you're good for. You're weak and a coward. You couldn't stand on your own bipeds to fight." Aeryn sneered, reached for Grayza. The guards held her back. One swatted her back with the butt of his rifle. She reeled over and was forced to sit on the stool again. 

Grayza smiled coldly. "You cannot conceive who you are threatening. When you threaten someone ensure you have the necessary reinforcement. Three solar days from now all this," she waved around the room. "John's torture, your imprisonment, will be nonexistent for you. In three solar days this part of the universe will cease to exist."

Aeryn said nothing. Peacekeepers had no need to lie to appear powerful. They were the epitome of empowerment and enforcement. Destruction was going to happen in three solar days and she had to find out how to stop this. There wasn't much chance to escape. For now, there were too many guards, John was incapacitated, and she was weaponless, unless somehow she could reach the glass cabinet. She needed to distract Grayza.

"So you were the one to receive the shipment of CL3." Aeryn hoped Grayza would take bait. "We've been wondering who stole those barges."

Grayza sat in the huge chair, swirled the Raslak in her goblet. Aeryn chilled at Grayza's calculating perusal. "At first I learned of Captain Crais then Scorpius' interest in John Crichton, which brings us to him carrying the key to wormholes, a deterrent to war. That is all. But the CL3 and Fribium makes a combination of powerful enforcement, all in the name of peace. This is no chimerical plight, but reality. Do you have anything better to offer, Officer Sun?"

Aeryn sat erect on the stool. No matter how weak she felt or how her wounds burned, Grayza would never know. Her voice came ringing hard, strong, and true. "Dignity, right standing. Your ways have polluted the Peacekeeper's standards. Your filthy manner of torture should never be tolerated."

"I have full support from High Command, which I need not answer to you. However, to appease your discontentment on the human's behalf, I never intended to harm him as you have seen. The prongs were never meant to lacerate his flesh as it did. Unfortunately, I have no means to reverse this travesty. You requested water? Sealant?"

Grayza held a small silver device and called for the requested supplies.

Patience and waiting was an admirable game and Aeryn had to play well. But the waiting paid off when Grayza's hologram receiver flashed on. Braca's image filled the opposite side of Grayza's desk.

"Commandant Grayza we have a problem. There are three unauthorized crafts approaching--" Braca said, appearing agitated.

"Wait, I have a prisoner."

"Ma'am?"

"I will be with you in a microt, Captain."

Grayza turned off the receiver and motioned the guard who had fetched the water and sealant and to stay.

"Your requests, Officer Sun." Grayza gestured the guard to relinquish the items to Aeryn.

Aeryn took the plastic pouch of water and disc of sealant. "At least you want him to live," she said.

"All for peace. Guards, escort her back!"

Aeryn was relieved to receive the replenishments for John. But before she had a chance to leave the room, the floor vibrated, a horrendous groan filled the air, then the percussion split her ears. She fell alongside the other guards for cover when large chunks of wall and mortar fell, smothering her, crushing her. White dust stung her eyes she couldn't see, but she heard the muffled cries of Grayza, "Bring Crichton, leave her! Guards...guards!" Then Grayza and her men were gone. 

Aeryn lay still blinded to consciousness.

***

"Fire, brimstone, the hot tub," John said to himself, chuckled then coughed some more. "Tabasco, hot peppers, too hot to handle. I can feel the rumble" His voice was too raw, he had to stop talking. He had just awakened. He could see better; his eyes weren't burning. He examined the room and noticed the two-way mirror broken on their side of the room. To him it looked like some two-by-four had hit it. Then John walked over and picked up a metal object off the floor. Interesting. He played with it, twiddled it around with his fingers. It was about eight inches long, a half an inch thick, a little bigger than a pointer. 

He felt a little better, not as feverish but was still dreadfully weak. His back? John moved against the wall and quickly moved away, wishing he hadn't been so foolish. _Still hurts like crap._ He walked toward the center of the room near the med table.

__

Aeryn has a way with her hands, he thought as he touched the metal object, sitting Indian style in the middle of the floor. The way she worked his back. He'd always be obliged to her. Always. He scanned the room, expecting her to be lying nearby.

__

Where's Aeryn?

Suddenly, another rumble quaked beneath him; no, it was over him. It was everywhere. Was that what woke him? The shaking? Rumbling? Bombing? With quicksilver reflex, John dove under the table, hoping it wouldn't crush him when the whole place caved in. The noise racked his senses and white dust plumed around, swirling with debris of rocks, catapulting from the door. He stayed under the slab, covering his head, crouching, hearing the lab surrender to the onslaught with one last groan.

The microts felt like arns, longer than his earth hours. Then the guards came three of them, but more wall fell to crush one. John saw the other two comb the demolished cell with handheld lights since all electrical units were snuffed out. John could hear them walk over the ruins, their boots grind and crumble more of the desolation. 

"Over here." John heard the garbled voice in the shadows. They were so close he could smell them.

"Got him!" A hand grabbed John's arm. With one hard thrust, John drove the metal pointer into the guard's hand. John reached from under the shelter for the other guard's helmeted head and pulled the guard toward him. One loud crack and John succeeded to smash the guard against the edge. Then another vibration hit, both guards fell beneath the ruins. John seeing neither were moving came from beneath the slab and rushed toward the mirrored wall still standing. The adjacent lab's emerald emergency lights left unscathed glowed eerily from the other side of the mirror. 

__

Go figure. After all the structural damage, the other room where he was tortured appeared untouched.

He shrugged his shoulders, then stopped abruptly. He had to be careful, his back was still causing him problems.

Before John started toward the opening where the door once stood, he heard another pair of boots crumbling more remains of the cell. He saw a figure at the opening, dark, strong, and sure. 

Aeryn!" He exclaimed.

"You're all right?" Aeryn cried out and came toward him fast. She had all sorts of stuff in her arms, including a pulse rifle strapped on her shoulder.

"Yeah!" He could see her face limed with the emerald glow of lights. She was okay shy a few scratches. "What's this?" He noticed she had a pile of articles.

"I've got your coat, some weapons, water, and sealant."

"Water?" He grabbed the pouch Aeryn offered him and drank till it was dry.

"And here's your pistol, holster."

"Did you see the other one?" He quickly snapped on his belt and holster, slid the weapon in it's cradle, listened for the click, and waited for her to answer.

"No."

"You sure this is Winona?" He patted the pistol.

"Yes? No...I think so. I reloaded it with fresh Chakan oil." Then Aeryn slowly and carefully helped him on with his duster. This task wasn't as easy. He edged into the sleeves wincing without complaining. 

"Well, what the heck!" He drew the pistol from his holster, aimed and fired it toward the doorway. "You've seen one Winona, you've seen them all. It works." He smiled, put Winona back in her cradle, and nodded toward the mirrored wall. "This was broken before the bombing started. I wonder who did this?"

"I did."

"What?"

"Grayza should be glad she wasn't standing there."

He laughed, that was his Aeryn. He welcomed her Peacekeeper side. No one could keep her down, and that made John proud. He had become more of a man because of her. He stopped laughing and leaned in to kiss her. It wasn't long as he wanted it to be, but he felt revitalized, giddy because he was with her and she with him. Between tasting her spicy tongue and softly releasing her lower lip, he flicked her nose with his. He adored her misty-eyed look and felt in response that sweet electrical shock penetrating him. His heart pounded against his chest.

"Have I ever told you how much I love you?" He asked, then cupped her face with his hands.

Her reaction was a mystery. She gasped, paled as if she'd seen a ghost.

"What's the long face for?" He gently brushed the back of his hand against her cheek.

"Nothing." Aeryn grabbed his arm. "We have to get you out of here to _Moya_." 

For Aeryn, it was the ill feeling of _history repeating itself_ as he once said to her. She had to help John escape this madness before it was too late. Before three solar days pass, he will Starburst from this region. And he need not know what was about to happen. Aeryn decided not to inform John of Yontur's ill fate to keep him from interfering, trying to be the hero, the sacrifice, even if she had to destroy Mele-On Grayza herself. Perhaps she couldn't deter the other John's death, but she frelling wouldn't allow this one the same fate. 

***

Once they left the lab area, John paced behind Aeryn down a small corridor. When they passed lab cells that appeared just like the one they just escaped, he was struck by the confusion, hysteria, and destruction--med techs fumbling from their stations, intermittent alarms drowning their scuffles, small worker droids beeping, burping voice messages to evacuate. The acrid smell of lingering smoke from the explosives and broken pipes spewing gas stung his nose, and the stench of flesh and bone turned his stomach. The emergency lights now reacted like strobe lights, emerald flashes that nearly blinded him. Ignoring to react to the atrocities, he kept going forward, not straying left or right.

It was a fortunate thing that no one recognized them or even cared. He couldn't blame them. The place was just demolished by an attack, and many Peacekeepers, med techs, and Yontur's scientists were trapped or dead under the rubble. 

He kept behind her, funneling along with the crowd. If Earth could be this prepared, disasters would be easily handled. They were in a humongous circular hall or station. Alcoves littered the underground walls with pods, round containments for Yontur's sub-mobiles. John and Aeryn claimed one and jumped into a pod. 

A Yontur citizen inside the pod pushed against Aeryn. Being caught off balance, she fell outside. John thrust the assailant against the cushioned half of the mobile's wall, drew his pistol, and gestured the man to get off. After the man fled, John noticed Aeryn still on the ground. He ran out to help her up, and four other people pushed them aside to confiscate the pod.

"Aeryn, come on. You're okay?"

"Yes, we've got to get one."

Before more stampede resulted, they ran to another pod. They successfully made it in, panting from exertion. 

"Emergency evacuation. Desired destination?" The voice activated message popped on just as they entered. "Door will close in five microts."

Then seven panicked people ran toward their pod, which John noticed could only hold two. They came with a determination, to survive and kick him and Aeryn off. Before the small mob reached the pod, the doors shut. They ran against it, banging, shouting for it to open. It appeared all other pods were taken.

"That was close," John said, exhaled and relaxed, standing against the wall.

"Push the yellow button," Aeryn said, John noticed he was closest. 

"Why not the red." 

"If you want to return to the surface near the city, push the yellow now."

He slammed on the hand-sized button. "Destination denied. Tunnels have been closed. Please choose another." John cursed.

"Okay, let's do this one." He slammed on the green. 

"Destination accepted. Surface four metras above. Location four hundred motras away. Arrival time six-hundred and fifty microts. Engaged." 

He felt the centrifugal force take and he saw Aeryn flatten into the soft wall. After a moment, they were able to lift themselves from it and move freely.

John grinned, "Sounds like that receptionist we first encountered."

"I wasn't there."

"Yeah, right." It seemed strange not having her around. Even though she wasn't aboard _Moya_ that time, it still felt as if she were. As a matter of fact, it felt as if he'd known her all his life. 

"Aeryn, we've got to get some transportation. No one knows we're here, Palimous frelled with our weapons and comms when they kidnapped you."

"Perhaps we can get a mobile from the surface to the city, then hijack a Prowler. How about that, John."

He laughed, "You speak-ah some good English." He came close to her. "Are you sure you and the baby are okay?"

She nodded, taking his hand to her cheek. "Mmm-hmm."

She never looked sweeter, rubbing her soft cool skin against his hand. He was frelled senseless with this woman. He held her close for the remaining microts, smelling the leather scent of her flight jacket, then her neck, playing in her hair.

Aeryn brushed her hand against his forehead, "You still feel hot. I don't like this."

"Don't you worry 'bout me, I never felt better." He cuddled in the crevice of her neck. She froze, her muscles stiffened. "What's the matter, baby?" John was afraid that she had seen and heard too much back there in the lab cell--him denouncing her and their child, being seduced and raped by Grayza, and above all his uselessness and inability to overtake Grayza. Aeryn had seen him completely weak, helpless, and conquered, and he knew she hated those qualities. It left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"The...the...fever." she swallowed hard and pushed him away. 

He hoped she wasn't rejecting him because of what had happened back there, but he would understand it if her heart was turning from him...he was ashamed, too. He saw her eyes sparkle with tears welling. 

***

Aeryn stood before him, the fear mounting in her heart. It was her other John's heroics that got him killed. Massive radiation poisoning took him away. She could not see him dying again. Thus, the same Peacekeeper skills came to surface again to keep this "same" John alive. Strength. Focus. Control of emotions.

She spoke calmly with an assertiveness. "I believe your bio-microbes aren't working because of the chemical from your wounds. They've manufactured a poison to attack your cardiovascular system and deteriorate your muscles. I smelled it when I applied sealant to your back. It's some kind of hydrochloric acid. Your microbes are being killed off too quickly before they can restructure and destroy the poison. I've seen this kill within arns. You need another boost of new bio-microbes to fight it off. We have to hurry to _Moya_." 

He came closer to her even after she pushed him away. He touched her forehead and pushed away a stray hair. Her legs weakened at the touch of his warm human skin. Her heart palpated at the sight of his beautiful face, sumptuous and strong. "I'm...I'm afraid we don't have that much time before the infection spreads further to your heart."

"I feel great." He smiled so playfully. The deep reverberating hum of his voice was setting her pulse on fire. "How can it be so bad, hmm?" He tilted his head and cocked a brow.

"Right now, you're in remission, but you will relapse." She gave into her resolve, how could she resist his azure eyes, so transparent. She snuggled into his arms and felt safe while holding him, tight. 

He cuddled against her cooing to her, "Did you know you're sweet like candy?" And he kissed her, harder, then longingly. She probed him with her tongue, starved for him, tasting his delicious human flavor. His hot breath was delectable with the scent of arousal as he his heated lips kissed and trailed her mouth, cheeks, neck, nose...smooth...slippery...wet and wild. He alone gave her heat delirium. Oh, it was madness, this kindred love. She yearned to tear off his coat, be lost in him and smell more of his masculine scent. She yearned to be his mate.

Suddenly, the sub-mobile stopped, causing them to fall. Aeryn leaped up and brushed herself off, then helped John. It wasn't his fever that caused her fear, but what he had said. The same words as her other John, taking his last breath before dying: _Don't you worry 'bout me, I never felt better_.

But with the fever added, there was no room for laxness. She would not fail him this time.

"Focus, John, we're here."

The sing-song tone of the automated voice filled the mobile. "Destination arrived. Please exit after doors open in five microts." The pod hovered before an automated doorway. They walked through it into the light, like coming forth out of a tomb, and smelled the fresh air.

***

__

Arizona Highways, minus the desert ground, John thought, squinting against the noon sun once they exited the mobile. Yontur's alien landscape vaunted its majestic mountains, crimson, gold, and orange, like a marbled cake; they spiraled high with craggy rocks, reaching to the stark blue sky. Yet, below in the valley, the ground was a blazing green, like an emerald. _Oh, Oz!_ he was impressed.

A craft was approaching from the north, fast. "Get behind the rocks," Aeryn said, pushing John over. "Keep down."

"I know," John answered back. "Do you recognize it?"

"Yes, it's a Charrid craft going toward...there!" 

He looked where she pointed. To his dismay, the Command Carrier sat between two mountains in an open valley being bombarded. He just noticed they were perched high above near a precipice directly before them within the mountain range. Looking to their left, a trail was carved from the sub-mobile exit, extending alongside the flank of the mountain. Below, the valley boasted of green, green grass and the humongous carrier, a monster ready to swallow anything in its path. "We have to get out of here before they spot us." She said and grabbed his arm.

The Charrid craft kept up its attack on the carrier. One should never disturb a hornet's nest unless there is a willingness to be lethally stung. So was the fate of this lone Charrid as John and Aeryn witnessed. Two Prowlers flew from the hive and chased the ship until both pulverized it to nothing but a burning skeletal, spiraling into the cleft of a mountain. After their assault, the Prowlers returned to their hive. 

"I thought this planet was protected by armed satellites?" John asked.

"Well, it appears they've been dismantled, probably by Palimous."

"Didn't know a Command Carrier could land anywhere."

"If we don't get you to _Moya_, you'll soon be landed on your back. Come on."

They began the two-hundred metra climb down the flank of the mountain, staying behind rocks, bushes, and trees. Then the ground quaked, trembled. It sounded like a wind tunnel, a storm, and the sun slipped behind a great shadow over them. He fell to the ground for sheer safety and covered his head, while Aeryn lay beside him.

"What the Hezmana was _that_!" John yelled.

"The Command Carrier has lifted off?" Aeryn glanced at John, her brow drawn together.

"Aeryn, you've got any idea what's going on?" 

"I...I...believe since Grayza unsuccessfully retrieved the wormhole information, she's leaving. Probably thinks we're dead."

"Good, let's keep it that way. Come on." He got up and helped Aeryn. He felt pretty good. His energy level was kicking in, and he was strong enough to make the trek.

They continued near the bottom behind some trees when Aeryn noticed a few Peacekeepers in the clearing. "John, we have to be careful if we're going to make it to the city."

"Yeah, I hear you. Dang, Aeryn, I thought they all left."

"It's more like they're being cautious. There could be a Marauder or two left behind. We may not be able to avoid them, John." He could see the worry in her deep blue eyes.

"Don't worry, I've got you covered."

"Shhh, they're coming over here." They each hid behind parallel trees to see each other, John with his pulse pistol raised close to his face for swift shooting.

John and Aeryn heard a buzzing noise above them and noticed a one-manned aerial platform flying toward them, skirting the thin canopy of the trees. Then it darted toward the clearing and hovered over the guards and darted back in their hidden area, seeking whatever it noticed. John kept an eye on it as he tipped-toed to where Aeryn was standing against the tree trunk.

"I've never seen anything like it. What is it?"

"One of Yontur's inventions, obviously now sold to Grayza."

"What a rip-off. It's a shame we have to shoot it down. Ready?" He grinned. Then he saw a glimpse of her wry smile and glittering orbs answering him. It set his heart on fire. John loved that cocky confidence in her, and he set to prove that he was her man.

"Ready." She said and nodded.

Shoulder to shoulder, they aimed and both fired through the canopy at the Peacekeeper one-manned flyer, John with his pistol and Aeryn with her pulse rifle. It buzzed around them like a weed whacker above the leaves, then sped to the clearing, signaling the others below to enforce his finding.

"Shoot! Shoot! Darn! We're spotted." John kicked the dirt, grabbed Aeryn by the hand, and they took off.

They ran from the cover of trees, firing at the contraption now chasing them into the clearing where the Peacekeepers were approaching. Then it was gone.

John cursed, shouted expletives like water spewing from a spigot. "Where'd they go?" He yelled. He spun around and saw Aeryn some motras away from him. She must've ran to that spot without him noticing. She was standing there, tense and ready to shoot. His perusal followed the direction of her aim. When he recognized who she was aiming her pulse rifle at, he froze.

***

"And I thought you both were deceased until we registered you on our scan." Mele-On Grayza said, walking slowly toward Aeryn. "Since the unfortunate demise of my guards not surviving the attack, I perceive our meeting quite fortunate and your bringing Commander Crichton to me a crowning glory. And, of course, our most innovative technology for the incarcerated has served well. Did you know, we have long since known of your arrival? The cuffs you were wearing had inserted a location chip in your wrists. How do you think the sub-mobile brought you to this destination?"

"You don't deserve to breathe." Aeryn disregarded all that Grayza had said and held the dark, bazooka-like weapon to fire. Grayza never stopped, but kept walking toward Aeryn unafraid with guards flanking either side of her. She was nearly four motras away when John identified what Grayza was wearing, the shield belt that protected its wearer from gunfire or any other projectile.

"Aaaaeeeryn, don't _shoot_!" John sprinted toward her, but it was too late. Aeryn fired. The pulse fire impacted Grayza only to disperse into useless energy.

He saw the action and reaction, not able to move fast enough. Grayza raised her pocket pistol, small and dainty. A shot exploded from the weapon. 

John ran with fire in his lungs. He ran till he felt no ground beneath him and leaped to thrust Aeryn out of harms way; her weapon flew upwards. Then he smelled the acrid trail of fire and felt the heat split air and flesh. 

He fell over her from the percussion. For a moment, he couldn't move.

"Aeryn, are you okay?"

He touched her face, she was grimacing. He could see the pain flood her eyes and blood ooze from her side. He put pressure on the wound. 

"No. Aeryn, no. Please say you're okay. Say you're okay. Don't leave me." He cried, touching her face, trembling, still applying pressure to her side with his other hand.

"I'm...okay. You...have to get to...to..._Moya_." 

He bent over and pressed his cheek against her face. "I can't leave you. Ever. I love you."

"John? John?" Fear gripped his heart again at her plea. He was helpless. His movements became erratic, short, clumsy. She was loosing too much blood, too fast.

"Aeryn, stay with me. Come on, you're a big girl. You've got to think about me and the baby, huh?" He chuckled, wiped her tears.

"Mmmm." She nodded her head, writhed beneath him. Her legs bending, trying to find ground. "John?"

"Hang in there, Aeryn. Stay with me. Oh, God, let her live. Aeryn, don't leave me. Not now!" He felt her pulse weaken, her complexion pale within seconds. The blood, there was so much blood, "Please, God, just this once...hear me? I know you're out there!" He cried, looked toward the sky, and cradled his love.

His lament reached the wind and carried through the mountains. "I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry." He hated himself, hated that he had caused her this pain and jeopardized their child. He hated what he turned out to be, a sex slave to Grayza. He loved only Aeryn. Then he kissed her full sweet lips. "No, no, no. Hang on," he said, softly.

He wept sore. 

He heard the breeze swirl and carry the tragedy on its wings while the trees swayed to his mourning heart, to a hope deferred. The warmth of the sun enveloped him, and it shined on the clearing where the he and his love suffered from wounds of the heart. 

***

Grayza saw him cradle the ex-Peacekeeper in his arms, her body limp and raven hair falling loosely. Then he kissed his Aeryn. "No, no, no. Hang on." His whimpers were heard by her stony heart.

"Captain Braca, bring Crichton." Grayza turned from the unsightly display of grief and walked away, her heart bitter and hard, unwilling to break. Her lavender eyes welled with unwanted tears. It was easy to be contaminated by aliens; their emotions were infectious. She waited for Braca before continuing to the Marauder.

***

John suddenly felt the cold metal against his neck. They could shoot him for all he cared. It was too late for Aeryn, unless she was taken care of right away. He closed his eyes, felt the whirring, the pain of his back return, and the cold weapon.

"Crichton come with us," Braca said, leaning in John's ear, rubbing the barrel against his neck.

"No." John looked down at the unconscious Aeryn and saw a flight pin on her jacket. He tore the pin off and stuffed it safely in his pocket. Braca grabbed him from behind with a chokehold and dragged him away from Aeryn. 

"Captain, do not harm him!" He heard Grayza yell.

John was suffocating from Braca's stronghold, dragging him toward the Marauder. John dug his feet into the ground to bring Braca at a standstill, unsuccessfully by only leaving two mud trails in the grass. Since that didn't stop him, John grabbed Braca's arms and slammed his head back into Braca's face. But before John could spring from him, his opponent counteracted with two strong blows to his back. Excruciating pain exploded everywhere. John fell prostrate in the mud. He got up on his hands and knees. Imbalance overwhelmed him and he fell head first into the mud. 

For a moment, the shock numbed him. It felt as if blood was seeping from his ears, nose, face, veins, only to discover it being sweat breaking in runnels down his nose. He couldn't feel his hands, feet. What happened?

Braca suddenly kicked John over. No more wind was left in him as he lay prone on his back, and the pain returned with a vengeance, causing his back to arch. He was on fire and his ribs felt broken. He rolled over and held his stomach to keep from heaving. To escape his tormenter, John blindly crawled toward the woods to no avail. 

"Crichton, it's been a long time," Braca said, smiling, crouching low, following close enough for John to hear him. "You still haven't changed. Unique you may be, but a man you are not. Not even for your soon deceased hybrid and traitor, Aeryn Sun."

"Braca," Grayza yelled in the distance, "Do not instigate him. Keep him immobilized."

Heat, carnage obscured John's lucidness. He yelled away the pain and thrust his fist into Braca's stomach. He wheeled around and plummeted Braca's temple with his balled fists and hammered until his assailant fell over unconscious.

Grayza was left standing five motras away. He saw her gesture to the guards not to interfere. _Demons can't compete with this pile of crap_, John thought and cocked his head, panting, spent from exhaustion. 

"You promised to keep her and my kid from harm. Look at her!" John cried out. Suddenly, in one swift action, he drew his pistol and aimed it at her head. His mouth contorted. "You better get help. Quick! Or else no wormholes." 

"It does not matter. After three solar days, this region of the galaxy will be gone, all three planets and moons, along with your love. The process has already begun and cannot be stopped."

"No!" John strode quickly toward her with the barrel of Winona a few inches away. Grayza didn't flinch. "Not if I can help it."

"How can you not, Commander?" She tilted her head, smirking. "I have my guards, the shield belt, and our carrier has already lifted off to release the Spherical."

"Yeah?" With a hard push, he threw her down and straddled her on his knees that blocked her upper arms. Then before a blink, he jammed the barrel of Winona into her mouth and laughed a harsh, wicked laugh.

"Connect! _Kinectus!_ Kinetic!" 

Grayza struggled like a beetle on its back, with arms and legs flailing, beneath John's massive body. She was unable to cry out and her guards unable to protect.

"That's right," he said gleefully, "this belt works on kinetic energy. One shot, inside your vampish mouth, then..._Boom_!" Grayza startled from his loudness. "It'll start from inside, tearing against your esophagus, then the back of your skull where the belt isn't. Oh yeah! By the time energy reaches the belt, your head will be hamburger! Get the connection?" John paused, laughed hysterically while tears streamed down his cheeks. "You know, after all the trouble you've caused me and Aeryn, I'd love to kill you. Right here, right now. Just one shot!" He dug his feet deeper into the dirt, while he loomed over her.

John grinded his teeth and the fever made his coat thick, heavy. His face sticky with moisture. Heat. _My baby, my Aeryn, hurt, dying because of me._ Cold. He shivered. Anger exploded within him, a barbaric reasoning took place. _They're dying because of you, Grayza._ And he jammed the barrel harder between her teeth. He was amazed to see such a wide instrument fit into a small opening. Freakish, she must've had practice. She whimpered and tried to push him off, but he resisted her. He was too strong. 

"You like force? Huh? Want to feel it?" His eyes watered more. Maybe, just maybe he could put her out of her misery. He played with the trigger. "Want to die?"

The whirring grew louder, _kill or be killed_. He twisted Winona again, making a loud clacking noise between her teeth. Then another voice interrupted. _Just shoot her. It would be a hailed feat! Don't be so uncivilized; just get rid of the refuse._ Harvey spoke softly to John's thoughts.

"Shut up!" John spat out the command, spraying on the wide-eyed Grayza with vehemence, wet and wild. He had to gain control, to rid himself of this dark troglodytic temper, this vile evil within. _Get a grip on yourself._

"Commander!" Braca yelled. "Do you wish for more lives on your record. You will be hunted by all Peacekeepers, starting from High Command to the lowest rank."

"Don't _mess _with me!" He shouted at Braca, then yanked the pistol's barrel from Grayza's bleeding mouth. She had no time to deliver sweat, seeing her strangle, and choke from shock. "One move, Elvira, and I'll ram this back down your throat." 

John got up and pulled up Grayza with him. He roughly began to unbuckle the shield belt, tugging her, jerking her. First, he'd knock out Grayza once he got the belt off. Then wound and disarm Braca. Afterwards, he'd put the belt on Aeryn and escape. He was satisfied with that plan. She would be protected with him carrying her to safety, and Grayza and Braca would be out of commission. Suddenly, he felt wind behind him and a crack over his head. He slumped to the ground, pulling Grayza down with him. Stars, bright blobs pierced his blackness, then nothing.

***

"Regent Palimous it is so good to see you," Captain Braca said. "You are quite the warrior."

"I saw you needed help even upon the evacuation of my scientists," Palimous said, holding the butt end of a pulse rifle. "How is the Commandant?"

Braca helped his Commandant to her feet. "Captain, Regent." Grayza said, voice muffled, but surprisingly audible after all the damage done. She nodded to Palimous and received a piece of cloth from a guard to wipe her bloody lip and gums. "I am doing quite well. And what brings you here?"

"There persists a rumor. My people are at unrest."

"Really?" She turned toward Braca, "Captain, bring Crichton." then to Palimous. "And what manner of rumor may this be?"

"That our planet and moons are under attack by the Peacekeepers and will be destroyed in the matter of solar days. Commandant Grayza, surely they speak of riddles?"

"Why riddles? Why not the truth? It was pleasurable to work with you. And because of your impeccable cooperation, I invite you to come with us out of harms way."

"I feel ambiguity lies here, Commandant." He bowed slightly to show Yontur's respect. "I beg of your diplomacy to understand that there are billion of lives to consider here. Not only because we have begun such beautification in this humble place, but also because we must consider our happy and most trustworthy relationship, Commandant."

"You are a brave and worthy man, Palimous. Do you wish to remain with your people?"

"Why, only by your consent." He bowed again.

"How convenient. You have made negotiations so remarkably convenient. I give acquiesce." She nodded to Palimous. "Captain Braca, have a guard escort our guest and give him our seal of approval."

Braca nodded a signal to the guard and Palimous followed behind Braca picking up Crichton, slinging the human over his shoulder. The guard followed after Palimous, quietly retrieving his pulse pistol. Grayza sauntered ahead. Then there was a single pulse fire.

Grayza turned around and peered at the prostrate form of Palimous, drowned in his pool of blood. "It appears our negotiations have been terminated." 

They trekked toward the Marauder. Suddenly, they saw a trail of fire hit the Marauder and explode directly in front of them. They fell on the ground from impact not knowing where the blast originated.

"Captain, guards! Get the aerial, quickly!" The guards headed to where the platform was positioned near the Marauder, unscathed. "Braca," she grabbed his arm. "There is only enough room for you, me, and barely for Crichton. Ensure the guards understand this."

"Ma'am?" Braca appeared incredulous.

"We have valuable information that needs to be disclosed to High Command. We are the only ones able to do this. Understand? Hurry!"

"Yes Ma'am." Braca dashed to the aerial platform and took it from the guard. 

Grayza lay there in the grass thinking of her escape. The platform could get them to the Command Carrier. It was still in the stratosphere and there were helmets supplied on the platform for higher altitudes.

***

Adu couldn't see D'Argo's ship for _Lo'La_ was cloaked. But he could see the result of D'Argo's shot at the Marauder, he pulverized it. Then _Lo'La_ uncloaked and banked toward the figures on the ground and flew over them to observe.

Captain Kendrell's _Delta_ landed in the clearing away from the Marauder and saw a lone familiar figure in the grass. 

"Officer Sun?" He knelt where she was. He felt her forehead, cold and she was unconscious. She had bled profusely and needed help immediately. He hit the comm, "D'Argo, I have located Aeryn Sun. She's down and needs medical attention."

"Do it! Do not wait for us. Take her to _Moya_ now!"

Adu carried her to his ship and proceeded toward _Moya_.

***

D'Argo turned toward his shipmate. "Chiana, are you ready."

"Ready as I can be."

"Okay, let's do it!"

They saw Grayza, Braca, and John at their feet on the strange contraption.

D'Argo opened _Lo'La_'s hatch door. 

"Ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya!" Chiana yelled her battle cry. 

They crept up on the side of the flying machine and Braca navigating, tried to avoid colliding into _Lo'La_.

"Easy now, easy, we've got to get John."

"But how?" Chiana asked, "Sikozu should've been here. She could've stood on the side of your ship, D'Argo. Why didn't you think of that?"

"Just shoot them!"

The platform came dangerously close to D'Argo's ship. Grayza pulled out her small red pistol, while Braca tried everything possible to maneuver it. They couldn't allow John to be harmed.

"Shoot now!" D'Argo yelled.

Chiana fired before Grayza pulled her trigger, and the Commandant fell backwards against the railing. "Got her!" But Grayza quickly recovered. "D'Argo, she's...she's got the shield belt on! I can't stop her."

"She's got the shield belt on? Why does John always get us into trouble? Chiana, grab the wheel and fly. I'm going to land that thing."

"Are you fahrbot? You'll get yourself killed, and I don't have any of your DNA."

"Hurry up and take the wheel! Okay? Here." D'Argo spat on her hands while the ship flew on auto-pilot.

"Okay?" He asked again.

She rubbed her hands together. "Yeah."

D'Argo waited until Chiana maneuvered beside the contraption. He felt resistance from the turbulence of wind and compensated for it, then jumped. D'Argo landed hard near Grayza. The platform descended from his added weight. Grayza fired her pistol to miss, just as he tongued her. He grabbed Braca from behind and caught him in a chokehold. "Now you will land this thing, carefully. Or I will tongue you, too." D'Argo growled into Braca's ear, "Well, not until we land."

They had successfully gotten John back on _Moya_. D'Argo had conveniently tongued Braca and left Braca and Grayza unconscious far away from the destroyed Marauder without the shield belt, which D'Argo had taken back with him. 


	8. Exodus: Solar Day Two

****

Chapter 8 - Exodus: Solar Day Two 

__

When the servant of the man of God rose early and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was around the city. Elisha's servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"

Elisha answered, "Fear not; for those with us are more than those with them."

Then Elisha prayed, "Lord, I pray You, open his eyes that he may see." And the Lord opened the young man's eyes, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

And when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, "Smite this people with blindness, I pray You." And God smote them with blindness, as Elisha asked.

-- 2 Kings 6: 15-18 (The Amplified Bible)

The floating sensation never ceased to astound him. It was the same each time he left a planet with natural gravity and returned to _Moya_. He was susceptible to her swaying. It was like experiencing turbulence during a storm on an airplane only to have the sensations of ascending and descending remain hours after landing on solid ground. 

__

My equilibrium is off. 

That's how he felt about Aeryn...at that moment. Sikozu had told him that Aeryn needed to rest and not to disturb her. But he needed to know if she and the baby were truly okay. Yet "Wait" was still the operative word given to him.

John stood on the terrace in an "at ease" position, gazing at space, that span of black velvet set with diamond pinpoints of stars. _Moya_ was hiding behind one of Yontur's moons that perpetually spun a silvery light and contrasted with the shadows of determination on his granite face. He ached for Aeryn, his child, and was responsible for Yontur. He would find out about his family in a few microns, and if they were okay, he'd leave for Yontur.

About ten arns ago, John received an extra boost of bio-microbes and with rest of eight arns, recovered quickly. But Aeryn, on the other hand, needed more attention, more time. She had been operated on by Sikozu and received blood from the planet below. Thanks to D'Argo, Adu, and _Lo'La_, who had successfully infiltrated a secured Blood Bank without being detected by Peacekeepers and had returned unmolested with the much needed blood supply. 

It was all because of him this insanity had occurred. He had to find a way to stop "The War Of The Worlds." He stood in the dark and couldn't imagine what would happen if the doomsday machine did its job. He couldn't allow it to happen--Judgment Day. And with only about two solar days left, it just might. He needed help. 

John knew Grayza's ship wasn't the previous Command Carrier that was destroyed from within by Crais and _Talyn_. Even if he boarded this one, how could he dismantle the bomb if he didn't know how it looked? All he knew was that it was some sort of chemical which reacted with the planet's calcium carbonate found in their numerous caves. Adu and Aeryn seemed to know even more about this weapon, but he couldn't take Aeryn along to find out. She and the baby needed protecting. 

Which left Adu. Aeryn's wing man had gotten her back to _Moya_ in time to be saved and had even fetched her blood from Yontur; a dangerous mission. Though John was grateful, at the same time he felt a tinge of jealousy, wishing it was him that had brought Aeryn back safely. But at this point, John decided he had no choice but to trust Adu and the guy's knowledge of the Spherical. He had to get Adu to agree with him to help stop that bomb.

__

Time. I never seem to have enough of it, John thought as he gazed at moon's surface. If only there was enough time for him and Aeryn to be together, settle down, and enjoy all the creature comforts of a normal life. If only he had enough time to beat this Spherical. There had to be a way out of this death trap. A solution. Something. 

John closed his eyes. He'd been standing there for over an arn waiting. Then he rotated his shoulders, flexing the muscles to see if they still worked. Stiff. Still painful. It would take a little while before his back healed completely. 

John rubbed his lower lip hard, played with the fleshy part of it with his thumb, deep in thought. This Command Carrier, which held the weapon, was too close to Yontur to destroy with a wormhole, which would only result in the planet being obliterated along with the ship. That would be disastrous, causing too many fatalities. D'Argo's ship couldn't destroy a Command Carrier unless his Luxan friend used _Lo'La_ to make the carrier implode. She did have a maximum firing power that could possibly cause as much damage as Starburst. But that involved too much sacrifice, and the end result would probably be the same, destruction of the three planets from the cataclysmic blast. Every angle John thought of was a dead end. No solution in sight anywhere.

He identified with a long ago sermon, how a servant stood in fear when an army came to destroy them and the prophet Elisha said, "Open his eyes." And the servant saw the angels with chariots of fire. 

__

Fear not. Those with us are more than those with them.

John sucked in his lower lip. He was blind to a solution. If God had any angels on this side of the universe, he needed them now. "Open my eyes," John said, softly to the blanket of space before him.

"Commander Crichton," the comms bleeped on and Pilot's welcomed voice permeated the terrace.

"Is Aeryn okay?" John asked before the navigator completed his sentence.

"Yes, Commander, she is doing well. You are able to see her now."

"How's the baby?"

"The child is fine as well."

"Thanks, Pilot, I appreciate it." John sighed in relief and felt the flush return to his face at the mention of Aeryn and the baby. The heat warmed his skin and his heart, his heart that drummed hard, playing a rat-tat-tat rhythm against his chest. He was glad to hear Pilot's calm voice and barely could wait for the next directions, yearning to be with Aeryn.

"You will find her resting in her quarters."

Before Pilot finished, John sprinted through _Moya_'s corridors to see her. Entering Aeryn's room, he found her recumbent, covered in a golden blanket. He anxiously perused her face. She was still pale. But when her large gray eyes locked with his, John's stomach flipped with rattlers. He knelt beside the bed and felt her forehead.

"Hey, how're you doin'?" He smiled, caressing her face.

It often amazed him how her eyes would sometimes change color from deep blue, to gray, or bluish-gray. But now they were gray. They met his, "Mmmm, you _would_ end up fine. How is your back?" She smiled, squinting her eyes.

"In good shape. You okay?"

"Ask me that later. I have something to tell you."

"Yeah?"

"I found out earlier that Grayza is planning to destroy Yontur and the neighboring planets. She's taken the CL3 shipments we spoke of and has already mixed it with Fribium aboard the Command Carrier. She said in three solar days she'll destroy it all." Aeryn winced.

"I know." He stroked the side of her cheek with his hand and remembered how they had fought together, laughed together, and ate together. They even made love once. He knew Aeryn, her nuances, her funny little gestures. He knew when she was angry, happy, or sad. At that moment, he knew something was troubling her. That childlike frown appeared, her brow creased, and countenance darkened. He ran his finger alongside her perfectly shaped brow, then kissed it. "What's the problem?"

"I didn't want to tell you before." John could see this was very hard for her, the way she stuttered, turned her head away from him. "I...I didn't want you..." She inhaled and faced him, "I didn't want you to go and get yourself killed, playing the hero."

"Now what makes you think I'd do a stupid thing like that?"

Aeryn paused for a moment. "You're going down there aren't you?"

"I have to."

"Well then, I'll be going too." She huffed and began to sit up. John gently resisted her.

"Nooo you're not. You still need to recover. And you've got the baby to take care of."

"I am battletested and I will go." She pushed against him, straining.

"No you won't." John sternly took her shoulders and gently returned her to the recumbent position. He locked eyes with her. "You're staying." Her eyes. It was her eyes that first attracted him. Now they were like troubled waters, sparkling, rushing to find serenity. And his heart broke at her silent plea, her yearning to go with him.

"Then promise me you'll call for me if you need me."

"I'll always need you." Her face blurred beneath his welled tears, and he lowered himself to the side of her face. 

"Then promise me you'll come back."

"Don't worry, this'll take a couple of days max. I'll be back in a jiff," he spoke softly into her ear.

"Promise me." Aeryn persisted. John sat up. Her brow creased and her eyes were suddenly thick with tears. One slowly fell and John caught it with his index finger, then stroked her face with his hand. She was so distraught. John was baffled at how she was trembling, silently crying over him leaving. But then who wouldn't when a doomsday machine awaited them. He wanted to tell her nothing would happen, everything would be all right. But it wasn't. 

"I promise I'll always be close enough to where you can see me, hear me. Hmmm?" His voice cracked, sounded gruff to him. She was his treasure and he would do everything within his power to keep his family safe, warm, and out of harms way. John lowered the silken-like blanket and saw where the wound was healing, encircled by crimson flesh beneath her black sports top. Her belly was exposed, heaving in and out. He lowered his head on her cool stomach and kissed her bellybutton to settle her distress.

Aeryn stroked his neck, then combed her fingers through his hair. It felt like heaven to John. He didn't want to leave.

"John?"

"Yeah?" His voice was muffled, while speaking into her stomach.

"Why are you doing this, your mouth on my stomach?"

He looked up and laughed. "An Earth tradition. We're communicating to our baby. If he's got ears like yours, then he'll hear us."

She sat up and brought his face to hers and rubbed against his cheek with her hand. John leaned into her palm. She softly whispered into his ears, "You better not die, or I'll kill you myself." Then she kissed his mouth, lightly, and reclined. 

Soon after, her eyes closed and shallow breathing followed. John sighed. He was glad to see her sleeping. He smiled. There lay Sleeping Beauty, and if she were anyone else, he would've laughed at her gentle whisper. But he had seen her in action, and he had seen her kill.

He brushed her hair back and kissed her forehead as she slumbered. "I'll never leave you, Aeryn. Never."

***

Tick tock...

Time passed, pressure was building. John paced the docking bay like a caged animal waiting for D'Argo and Adu. Before he could leave for Yontur, he needed to talk to the big guy. His bags were packed, had plenty of ammo, just in case. And...and...he dug into his coat pocket and felt Aeryn's flight pin. A keepsake. 

John walked back and forth nervously, saying an old nursery rhyme over and over again: "Tick tock, the game is locked. Nobody else can play. And if they do I'll take my shoe and knock them black and blue."

An arn ago, he had stopped at Pilot's den and confidentially made the navigator agree to Starburst if he and D'Argo requested.

__

"Will you do it?" John asked, touching the rim of Pilot's shelled head.

The navigator's eyes glassed over and closed. "We have been through much Commander Crichton. It would be a tragedy not to have you amongst us."

"I know," he whispered the words, regretting all that transpired to meet this end. John held tight to Pilot's ridge, "If D'Argo disagrees, don't listen to him. Starburst anyway. Got it?"

"But, you know I only serve those on Moya. You are free to stay on Yontur. But why should you decide our fate and Moya's when you possibly will not return? If D'Argo chooses not to Starburst, then we will not."

John laughed, "There was a time when you would've said, 'So long, we're gone. Starburst!' seeing the danger here." He sensed Pilot wasn't humored. "Okay, one thing will change your stubbornness to stay. One thing."

Pilot put his claw on John's hand. "And what could that possibly be?"

"The lives of those you serve here on Moya and the life of my child, our family; Starburst to save them. Please, Pilot? Okay?"

Pilot nodded. "I understand. It is a shame to say goodbye to one so...familiar. John, you have been a true friend to Moya and...and I."

John patted the shelled head. He couldn't bear to see the tears welling in this magnificent creature's eyes, "I'll never forget you and Moya." He slid off the round console and headed through the doors. 

Now he stopped pacing and stood, wondering what to say to his Luxan friend. It wasn't going to be easy.

***

...The game is locked. Nobody else can play...

"Are you _fahrbot_!" D'Argo yelled, shook his head with tentacles flapping, adding to the monstrous scene. "We should Starburst NOW and leave them to their fate!"

Rygel whirred in on his throne chair. "What the yotz is going on?"

John gestured Rygel to stop. "Nothing Sparky, it's a private thing. We need to speak alone."

"Well," the Hynerian puffed, lifting his frog-like chin, "I have come on the behalf of Adu. He is delayed in talks with the Regent."

A rumbling noise came from D'Argo, then wheezing from his nose, "Shut up! Rygel and leave. John and I have business. Can't you see?"

"All I need to do, Luxan, is fetch Chiana. I'm sure your mivvocks won't be worth holding up!"

D'Argo growled and swung at Rygel, who quickly sped on his throne chair out of the bay.

"Come on, D'Argo, I need you, buddy."

"I will not, I will not have _Moya_ Starburst while you are stranded on that planet. And what of Aeryn? She expects to be with you on Yontur while you're battling that Spherical. She is a warrior. We should not deny her."

John had to revert to harshness. In any other case he would never trudge up memories privy only to his Luxan friend. Now he was going to have to use them. "Would you have allowed Lo'Laan and your son this same end...hmm? How many times have you wanted to save her from that horrible fate...hmm? Do you think I'd purposely murder Aeryn and my kid? Send them to that planet to die? No!" John stopped, he'd gone too far. The strong warrior that stood so tall, stood too still. No expression, no anger showed on his face. Then D'Argo simply sat on the floor as if only just registering what John had said.

"D'Argo?" John crouched before him. His Luxan friend pierced John with eyes like daggers.

"You have no right to pry." D'Argo turned away from John, his rage smoldering ready to combust.

"I had to do this...for Aeryn...the baby. Can't you see?"

"No!"

John rubbed his face to take away the stress, the hardship, but there was no other way. He had to invade his friend's memories. "You would've done anything to prevent what had happened to them. Anything. Would you begrudge me of this chance to save them? D'Argo?" John came out of the crouching position and sat beside his friend and grasped the heavily padded shoulder. "We've been through a lot, watched each other's backs. Most of all, we've been allies. What I need now is your help. You can't let your rage blind our friendship. You just can't."

John heard a deep rumbling come from the Luxan, groaning, moaning, or just plain growling, he couldn't tell. But anything was better than getting smashed, or even shot by him. 

"Yes," the Luxan finally spoke in a whispered voice, his eyes focusing far away. "So many times I imagined I had caught her brother in time. He murdered her and left my son motherless."

John sighed, "I'm sorry, D."

"You are right, John.," D'Argo's voice boomed throughout the docking bay. "We must protect Aeryn and the baby. One day, my rage will not interfere with decisions." D'Argo patted John's knee, "When you comm me, we will Starburst immediately."

"You will take care of them for me? Like your own."

"Only if it is impossible for you to return. John, I will watch them with my life." They got up and D'Argo grabbed John in a huge bear hug. 

"You're better than Spock. Umph, take it easy on the back" John struggled out of D'Argo's hold.

"Are you ready to bum down, Kirk?" D'Argo attempted the old Star Trek adage. And John laughed.

***

__

...And if they do, I'll take my shoe and knock them black and blue.

"Ahhh, a fellowship goes on here." Adu slapped John on his back and smiled. "Brother man, good things are in place!"

"What do ya mean?"

"Evacuation, my friend. It has started. Come, before we leave you must see in the viewer."

John, D'Argo, and Adu left for the Command Center, where they watched speckles of ships leaving the planet.

"What did you and the Regent plan." John spoke barely above a whisper, awed by the Exodus.

Adu's eyes seemed more cat-shaped, almond ovals turning up at the edges; they squinted. "Yontur is evacuating their heads of state, leaders, scientists, and families--those who can start a new world or blend in with others."

"Uh-huh, and what about the other planets?" 

"They have been contacted and all dignitaries have complied. Everyone is working together."

John fidgeted and drummed his fingers on the command console. Something didn't seem right, didn't add up. "And what about the little people, your everyday citizen? Don't they get a chance?" 

The silvery lights flickered against Adu's skin, light against dark. He paused for what seemed too long. He sighed. "There weren't enough ships to transport all citizens." He exhaled again, "We don't know if they will make it."

John sensed dread in the Captain's eyes...Adu fearful? "What do you mean?"

"The Command Carrier is no longer with us," Adu said.

"Pilot, do you detect the Command Carrier?" John asked. Since he was still here, he needed to compile as much information as possible before leaving, to understand why Adu was fearful, and why this didn't feel right.

"No, Commander, it had left the stratosphere many arns ago."

"How many?"

"A little after you were brought board _Moya_. About nine arns."

John grinded his teeth, looking at the clamshell. "Was there anything unusual ejected from the carrier?"

"Since the scans and comms were still adjusting from molecular change at that time, we were not able to detect any anomalies."

"Can you do it now, Pilot?"

"I will try. However, Commander, there are considerable magnetic distortions on my scans."

"Try focusing on the distortions, maybe that'll give something away."

Adu stood with arms akimbo and legs straddled, "It sounds plausible. Unusual interference could mean the Spherical."

"You know something about this?" D'Argo asked, voice resonating base tones. "Tell us!"

Adu's lip twitched on the side, he exhaled, and approached closer to _Moya_'s forward portal. He pointed toward the doomed planet that hung in dark silence. "Either it was released in the stratosphere of Yontur or in the orbital region, which I very well doubt. Somehow Grayza already knew where to release it to cause the most harm."

John nodded and echoed Adu's delayed answer. "Right over the city of Armana."

"Correct in the stratosphere, soon arriving in the atmosphere."

D'Argo stepped between John and Adu. "What I understand is the escapees will not be out of range in time. Isn't that right, Captain Kendrell."

Adu turned to face D'Argo and nodded. "That is why, my Luxan friend, the Command Carrier sped away so quickly, probably at Hetch 9 to escape the explosion. The outer planets, Tranish and Banel, escapees may make it. That would be a marginal chance." Adu grunted, crossed his arms. His lips tightened.

"John," D'Argo started, his brow crinkled, eyes sparkled with urgency. "Do not do this. Turn away from this unspeakable act. We still have a chance to Starburst."

John gripped the Luxan's shoulder, "It's my fault. It wouldn't have happened if I wasn't here. I have to fix this. Hmmm?" He looked up to the one that towered him all bushy-eyed, reminding him of Chewbaccu. "Hey, take care of them, okay?"

"I will." D'Argo nodded.

John reached into his coat pocket brought out two chips. "I...I forgot to give these to you back at the docking bay." John handed the first chip with a dark inscription. "This one is for the crew in case..." John rubbed his eyes and handed the second chip with no inscription. "You know who this is for. Just in case..." Lord knows, if only he didn't have to go down there, he wouldn't. John wiped his nose. "I love her, man. It's difficult, but I love her."

"I know, my friend. There is a time to laugh and a time to cry. A time to live and a time to die." 

John slapped D'Argo on the back and laughed. His Luxan friend was sounding more like him every day, saying lyrics from songs of his past or slogans from TV shows and movies. He glanced around _Moya_ one more time and smiled. _Moya_ and the other side of the wormhole, nightmares and fairy tales, they all rolled into one big surprise:

Aeryn.

"Come on Adu, let's kick some butt!" John turned on his heal without saying further adieus to his family. He left with a determination to defeat the enemy or die trying.

***

__

Tick tock, tick tock...

__

The clocks were winding with a turn of the gear. Tick tock went the clock, time was winding near. Tick tock, tick tock, time we hold, hold so dear.

He patted Winona rhythmically on his thigh; it was more nervous energy than anything else. John and Adu had landed on one of Armana's noncommercial airstrips and hidden the ships in a secured hanger. The _Farscape 1_ was dwarfed by the _Delta _nestled within a cluster of inoperable aircraft as the Regent's guards escorted them to the Temple of Gratuities. 

John and company funneled through the corridors of the temple. The stalactites were prolific, still hanging in luxurious display throughout the hallways from the ceiling. They sparkled, shimmering like the modern chandeliers of Earth. Yeah, beauty and death seemed to balance on the scale of life here; one didn't go without the other in this universe. John shivered as he strode with the others, quaking inside at the impending doom, and the irony of how the stalactites were instrumental to their demise. They finally reached the Regent's office and were greeted by the old fat cat. 

"Commander Crichton, it is good to see you!" Without further warning, the Regent wrapped his huge arms around John. Though he had become almost impervious to pain, the Regent's bear hug was a bit intolerable.

"Ouch," John gasped, his ribs almost crushed. "Hold the phone, Heckle, I've got some back problems." The Regent released John. "Gettin' old, you see. Don't squeeze the mojo, okay?" 

Adu put his hand on the Regent's shoulder. "My Regent," he said, "our friend has a back injury and is healing. Perhaps if you'd squeeze _tighter_!" 

The Regent smiled hesitantly and slightly tilted his head toward John, "Ahhh, I would not have imagined you so sensitive, Commander. And to think you were the great hero that imploded a Command Carrier." 

John coughed. "That was a collective feat, not just me," he said, then pointed to his taunter. "Stop settin' me up, Adu." John forced a smile, wishing Adu would change his irritating tactics. 

The Regent waved his hand to interrupt John's accusation. "No, no, no. It is good to see you both. We anticipated your return with distress. Your delay had us in disarray."

Adu nodded. "My apologies, your Regent. I would not have returned without Commander Crichton."

"Ahhh, Captain Kendrell, " the Regent laughed nervously with a distinct gurgle. "Things have escalated so quickly. Our people are panicking, leaving the city in droves. We have secured everything, and it seems we are naked beneath this threat. In spite of this horror, I have the greatest confidence in you. You understand exactly what we need and what to do."

Adu stepped back and patted the pistol on his teal-garbed chest. "Right now, your Regent, you require protection and solutions." 

"So true. I must show you both something. Come quickly. We have little time." The Regent and guards passed through a secret doorway to a tunnel where a sub-mobile waited. 

As they strapped into the seats of the six-seated sub-mobile, John queried the Regent. "Where are we going?"

"To the mines, my friend. Where this all began."

***

They had traveled to the inner depths of the mines beneath Yontur and exited the mobile, walking alongside the ridge of the tunnel containing tall poles, ten motras high. Each pole had a string of blue lights lined to the tip. They flickered intermittently, streaming like a marquee's flashing neon. Directly in front, as they footed around the curved tunnel, a small shack appeared, protruding from a craggy wall. 

Darkness surrounded John, and stench permeated his nostrils. He recognized that smell from somewhere, but where he couldn't make out. That pungent musk odor was mixed with a foul sweetness, like a goat in heat. It was everywhere and it stank. 

John suddenly whipped out his pistol, aiming at a cluster of dark forms coming toward him with the same ember eyes he had encountered when Aeryn was kidnapped. They were ambling along the tracks, pushing three-wheeled carts loaded with pieces of hardware.

"Stop! Right there!" John yelled. They kept coming. John slowly pressed on the trigger.

"No! They can't hear you." Adu stepped in front of the line of fire.

"Are you nuts? They're dangerous." Blue lights flickered on John's face, revealing his knitted brow and ominous stare.

"They are harmless," the Regent said, touching John's extended arm. "They have no concern for you. In the beginning these so-called creatures were hired to mine. These sub-dwellers you have almost killed are helping with our Spherical research. There were many, many others. However, they no longer work in this vicinity. As you can see, there is no stalactite or stalagmite to be mined. Only a few of our sub-dwellers are here doing manual labor."

"Sub-dwellers," John echoed the Regent and returned Winona reluctantly back to her holster. 

***

With his two allies, John entered the small shack. Optical illusion, John thought, perusing the huge lab below. To John's relief the offensive smell dissipated, and hustle and bustle was the theme inside. Scientists worked in synchronous order like an orchestra. They were in an orchestra pit to save the world.

To the left, below, John noticed some of the workers, like players of stringed instruments, plucking, poking at the three dimensional hologram of the Spherical. The whole place filled with these people raising their arms, directing as if to music, opening electronic files, connecting holographic coordinates to three-dimensional data strings. They seemed not to touch anything but an electrical field of light that projected images.

To the right, like the bass and loud clashing cymbals, other scientists funneled in and out of the room through a tunnel door, unlike the one he walked through. They had stalactite, hardware, and containers, and were putting them on lab tables, making clanging noises in the process. He didn't know why they were putting the material together, maybe for reconstruction or simulation.

John, Adu, and the Regent were on an elaborate lift, with a marble platform and golden rails, above the commotion. The lift slowly descended while John watched the hub-bub below. In the middle, oh, just like an orchestra pit was the conductor of the scientists and technicians, directing them from behind a huge console, compiling all the data into storage to save their world.

They stepped off the lift and funneled through the bustle.

"Follow me," the Regent gestured to John and Adu. "Ignore us," the ruler signaled the workers to continue with their work. "Time is of the essence," he explained. 

They entered a small doorway into an adjacent room sealed from the rest of the outside. John stood, perusing the joint. It felt like a tomb. _The air is thin in here._

"Captain, you have been valuable to us. We would have never gotten this far with success without you." The Regent turned to John. "Commander, we are standing in the office of my former confidant aid, Palimous. May the goddesses rest his soul."

John's brow crinkled. "You mean, he's not around; he got away? You should have kept your word and given him the whipping he needs."

Adu interrupted bowing to the Regent, "I found Palimous dead when we rescued you and Officer Sun."

"Oh. Why didn't I know this."

"Because you were unconscious." Adu seemed somewhat irritated or impatient. John couldn't tell.

"You should've told me, Adu. I've got to--"

The Regent waved his ringed hand and interrupted, "So much for the prattle. We have no time to vie. Dear Commander, if you wish for information, then you will learn much today. Palimous had found a way to hide his treachery."

John walked toward the door. "You know, Regent, I'd love to sit, chat, and have coffee, but there's a big ball in the sky ready to drop. I don't think there's time for 'Let's do lunch.'"

Adu hastened to where John was and led him back in.

The Regent continued. "I understand your impatience, but it is imperative for me to share this with you. Please be seated." He waved his hand, and a cushioned slab ejected from the wall. John sat, surprised to find it comfortable.

"View this." The Regent nodded to Adu. A chip was inserted within a slot, and John saw the story unfold within ten microns. It was Palimous' files on the residents forced from their homes, especially those who would not surrender their property. The cruelty unfolded. Documented files appeared with names of those who surrendered and received payment for relinquishing their homes and those who wouldn't surrender. They both ended up in the mines, changed from Sebacean to a sub-dweller with ember eyes. The documents were stamped...PAID IN FULL. The funds were delivered to Palimous' neutral account on the planet Banel. 

"I should have suspected this two cycles ago when there was no such thing as sub-dwellers until the disappearance or relocation of our residents. The relocation of residents increased dramatically at the end of the first cycle of this trickery. I only hired Captain Adu when I noticed imbalance of funds and less inventory of CL3." The Regent's head lowered and shook, his jowls flapping. "Now my people's lives have been destroyed." The Regent sighed.

"They were people, the ones that kidnapped Aeryn and attacked me. But how can decent people become zombies?" John asked.

The Regent and Adu looked at each other, not knowing what to say. John sighed. Even after all these years with translator microbes, he still confused everyone.

The Regent drew closer to John. "Though our scientists are still working on the Spherical, they have discovered a messaging array in the light system and some sort of molecular restructuring tool within the pole structure. We believe this may have changed them. We are seeking to change them back."

John interrupted. "That's how our weapons and _Moya_ were dismantled. Maybe I can help. If I can comm her, Sikozu--" John stopped abruptly and suddenly slapped his leg. "Oh, this gets better all the time! Here we are trying to figure out how to change sub-dwellers back to Sebaceans and at the same time we have a doomsday machine over our heads. Doesn't this beat it all!"

John noticed the Regent direct his gaze to a suddenly flashing emerald light. _Emergency!_ he thought.

"We must leave now! It has happened!" The Regent had every right to appear tensed. The look in his eyes confirmed John's fears. 

"What's goin' on?" John saw the rush of scientists pointing at a huge screen centered above a circled console. It was all there in Technicolor: the sky, and the Spherical magnified two-hundred times. Sebacean inscriptions tagged the screen, giving location and descent of the doomsday machine.

The Regent picked up the hem of his garment to keep from tripping. His agility belied his cumbersome weight. "Oh goddess spare us! The Spherical has descended from orbit into our stratosphere," he cried as he plodded ahead of John and Adu. "Why Palimous would betray us I will never fathom. How could he bring such destruction and pain to my people?" The Regent panted and muttered all the way to the main console where the huge screen hung. John could see the panic, the dread, as the workers and scientists barked commands and held their stations. The Regent cupped his face to hide his despair. Realization finally hit the ruler. "So much evil...so much evil," he cried out to John, heartbroken. 

"I hate," John replied slowly, "to see you're not the only one finding this out." John shook his head and his heart ached for the Regent. "You ever wonder how much evil can we stand?" 

"How much?" The Regent asked, quickly. He appeared to be holding onto straws as his eyes dashed back and forth, watching his people struggle to gain more information. In that moment, things seemed to have slowed down after the initial emergency flash and the numbers on the screen abruptly stopped. 

John cocked his eyebrow and bit his lip. He turned to the screen and watched the huge orb, appearing to hang by a thread. Then he turned to the ruler, "Regent, one microt at a time. One microt at a time."

The Regent gathered himself, shook off the despair. "One of my scientist is signaling now. I must go. It appears our evacuation of the city is not complete."

Adu's face was stern a mask of granite. Unusual, John thought, Captain Kendrell emotionless. No panic. No fear. Nothing. That set John's nerves even more on edge and made this whole fiasco all the more real. 

Adu then put has hand on the Regent's shoulder. "Your Regent, there is no need to worry. Commander Crichton and I will inspect everything above."

"Good." The Regent clasped Adu's hand. "Let me know of any changes."

John and Adu abruptly left the sealed-off room, taking the lift and then the sub-mobile to the surface. 

It had started. Mayhem.

***

__

The sky is falling...

"Why couldn't you shoot it down!" John shouted above the ruckus, knowing he was speaking out of fear before he had thought out the results of what the explosion was costing the lives of Yontur.

"Our weapons have been off-line," Adu hollered. "They are all dismantled, from satellites to firing arms. We have nothing until we have a fresh supply of fuel and Chakan oil. If we find that!"

__

Ugly. It was freakin' ugly. John cursed under his breath, standing in front of Gratuities. He was wearing the oculars, helping him to see into the atmosphere. A spot on the sun lowered. He watched it, still as small as a fly, slowly descending again, taking all the time in the world to make its mark. Then, strangely, it stopped again. 

Goose bumps prickled up his arms. 

Crowds were on the walkways, gazing at their star. Audio blimps were bleeping out directions to evacuate the city. _As if that would help._ Streams of mobiles blocked the streets. Though a few ships had been able to escape previously, it seemed as if most of the population of Yontur was still trapped, its only exodus to the mountains.

"My brother man, take a good look. It will be a matter of a solar day and a few arns to throw in before impact and then we will make a bed and lie in it, thinking of good things."

"My man, Adu , you seem to know more about this than you're letting on. Tell me why you're here." John took off the oculars and locked eyes with Adu.

Adu's lip twitched, the muscles in his neck tightening, but his gaze remained locked on John's taunt face. Abruptly, he averted his eyes and began to explain. Suddenly dropping the relaxed Jamaican accent, Adu's tone became subdued, darker, and authoritative. _Probably used the accent as a cover_, John thought.

"I was recommended to assist the Regent a cycle ago. I became part of the mercenary unit as only a distraction for the parties in question. I have had experience with CL3 and its destructive power. My planet owned many mines and only two were teamed with CL3. I was one of the officials in authority over those sectors. One of the mined planets was destroyed by the Peacekeepers and stripped of its CL3. The same is happening here.

"This, we learned at a great loss. Colonies were formed on those mining planets. As you can see, brother man, we needed protection. I was the one to construct the purchasing of a shield from the Tarkens for the last mining planet of CL3. It worked."

"Did you say you bought shield technology from the Tarkens?"

"A great undertaking."

"This shield, how did it work?"

"Alas, an energy blast would dissipate. Disappear. But the shield had to be activated around to protect the planet."

"I know these people. They made the shield belts."

"I don't know of shield belts."

"Maybe, just maybe we can use it to--. I've got to comm _Moya_. Is there any way we can open comms without breaking up, anywhere? We've been having trouble with our comms ever since Jughead jinxed them."

"Jughead?" Adu gave an incredulous look.

"Yeah, the stiff, Palimous."

"Ahhh." Adu cocked an eyebrow, appearing to make sense of what he said. "In the lab, below, where we were. It is the main center, a very powerful receiver. I believe our departed Palimous' tampering will not affect the strength of our receiver. You will even be able to view your friends as you speak."

"Well, we can't do anything up here now. Might as well go back and try the comms. You game, Adu?"

"Very playful." Adu slapped John on the back.

"Whoa, no abuse here, okay?" John winced, twitching away from him.

Adu raised his eyebrow, "I thought you wanted to play?"

"You thought wrong. Come on." John shook his head and rotated his shoulders gingerly as they headed toward the sub-mobile. Lord, his slang was getting him in trouble.

***

"John, we can see you and hear you clearly," D'Argo filled the image field. It was different from Pilot's clamshell, or a drive-in theater, and it was clearer than television. The image field was located seven motras behind the central console close to the back wall. John could see the defined edges of the field. When he walked around the field, much like a 3D hologram, he saw all sides of D'argo along with the crew and the Command Center but only within a three-motra range. It had to be the stalactite that helped with the imagery, to make the image so clear and in 3D. But John didn't continue with that stream of thought, seeing his friends in front of him.

It was wonderful seeing them together, like a family portrait. Chiana stood beside D'Argo, her gray flesh contrasting against his rusty tanned skin. Sikozu still reminded him of a salmon, red hair and skin of scales and iridescence, as she stood on D'Argo's other side. Even Noranti poked her head in beside Chiana's to see, _as if her third eye isn't enough_. And there was Sparky, face in front of D'Argo with a huge smile on his fleshy lips. They all looked beautiful. Would he ever see them again?

Of all the heart wrenching images that appeared before him stood beside Sikozu. Aeryn shone out, exotic, strong, and always mysterious. He stood with bated breath, unable to speak, when he saw her beauty. He missed her touch, her deep voice, her scent. He would do anything to have her here with him. John extended his hand. _No._ He felt his eyes welling with tears and withdrew his hand, seeing her face drawn, pale, and her eyes with dark circles. John's eyes perused to her midriff and noticed the scar healing. That was his sign to let him know what he wanted was selfish. _Impossible to have you here with me. Be safe, Aeryn._ He silently bade her in his thoughts.

"John?" D'Argo called out again. "John can you hear us?"

"Are you all right?" Aeryn interrupted. "We can actually see you quite well."

It was her voice that prompted his attention. "Yeah?" He tried not to sound throaty. "How are you guys doin'?"

"Emphatically well!" Sikozu said, raising her arms. "Obviously holding our own. Unfortunately, you haven't joined with our restraint of Aeryn--"

"Shut up, Sikozu! This is not the time." D'Argo interrupted.

"How, D'Argo, can you say that when we literally had to tie her down. You, John, are the culprit for this. She needs rest and now she stands here after all I've done. All...is...ruined!" Sikozu walked away from the field area and disappeared from the rest.

John began laughing through his teary eyes. "It's so good seeing you guys. You don't know how good." He didn't want them to worry, to see him cry, but his heart was breaking, yearning to be aboard _Moya_ with Aeryn and his crewmates. Swallowing hard, he gathered himself to open up options to save this planet.

"Captain Kendrell," Aeryn spoke up, her tone strong. "How is John treating you?"

"Dear Officer Sun, he breaks me, tears me up limb by limb."

John didn't like the smile and twinkle in her eye when she received Adu's answer. "He does tend to do that." She laughed softly, "John, are you leaving Captain Kendrell in 'stitches?'" 

John pushed Adu aside, "It's my turn." then to Aeryn, "Hey, English professor, you look great. Sikozu treating you right?"

"Well, taking away due force, I'm surviving. As a matter of fact, she's waving for me to cease this conversation right now."

John saw Noranti trying to pull Aeryn away from the image field. He had to let her know how he felt before she left, even if everyone was standing around eyeing him like a spectacle.

"Aeryn?"

"I have to go now." She clasped her side where the wound appeared and flung her ebony hair back, long luscious strands falling past her shoulders. This might be the last time he'd see her...so beautiful.

He glanced toward Adu, standing out of range of the image field. 

__

He better stay there and keep his arms crossed, John thought, before berating himself for his possessive behavior. 

Then he turned to Aeryn. His heart tightened and his chest hurt, looking at her, yearning for her. She still appeared pale, needing more strength. D'Argo was right, she did require more rest. But John realized he needed her to know why...why all this. He was doing it because of her. Because he wouldn't be able to look her in the eye if he Starburst with them and ran like a chicken. But how could he tell her? John paused and then mustered all his courage.

"No matter what happens. Remember this one thing, Aeryn, for us." She stood, bringing her hands to her face. "Remember that I love you. Always." 

Aeryn's brow furrowed and she pushed away Noranti hovering over her. "John," her voice softened, wavered, "I love you, too." Then she gathered herself, stood erect, and spoke in that commanding tone. "You must let me know when you need me to come down. Understand?"

"Aeryn, no prob. I understand. We're here for you 24/7. Okay?" John hoped against hope she'd accept what he just said. He never promised to call her down. He'd be a coward, a fool, a double murderer to have her with him. But to tick her off was worse than a woman's scorn. _Can't win for losing._

"Promise me?" Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears, and his heart broke once again. John said nothing more and stood before the image field in tight-lipped agony.

Noranti took her from the image field with trouble, pulling Aeryn by the arm. Aeryn seemed to resist her, trying to pull away from Noranti but not having the strength. He could hear her protest about not being finished. Then nothing.

D'Argo came closer, his face growing larger, "Sorry, John. Aeryn seemed a little distraught. You know she needs rest."

Chiana struggled to gain view, and pushed from under D'Argo's arm. "Hah, you nannit, can't you see she doesn't want rest. She wants to be with John."

"Don't start, Chiana." D'Argo tried to push her head down.

"The yotz she already has," Rygel said. "Her mouth runs more than my thronesled's motor."

"Hey guys! It's okay." John waved his hand. "We need Sikozu to share information about the shape-shifter machine."

Adu coughed and said into John's ear, "Molecular restructuring tool."

Sikozu returned quickly to the image field. "Actually, it is a molecular disabler tool." She was always precise, distinct, her tone, her body language. Even her long red curls seemed to stay in place, as if gravity or problems wouldn't dare dishevel her. John snickered, glad to see Adu goof up.

John coordinated the talks between Sikozu and the conductor of the scientists and techs. Two goals they had in mind. First, to figure out how to incorporate the shield belt's energy into some structure they could use that would transmit around the planet, if not the Spherical. Second, to stop the changing of the targeted sub-dwellers and return them to their previous state. All their efforts pointed toward survival. 

***

__

There is a black spot on the moon tonight.

"Did you see it move?" John pointed toward the sky. 

"No, it hasn't moved." Adu said, situating himself against the wall. "Not since the last time we were here."

"I swear...I saw it move. It's gotta be getting closer. Why hasn't it landed yet?"

"I don't know. Perhaps it is preparing...mixing...gathering energy. How should I know?"

"You've seen them in action, you should know!"

They sat with their backs against the achromatic railing structure in front of the building. John sighed. The streets were empty. Most of the evacuation had taken place. Even the blimps weren't making noise. 

All was quiet. 

He felt alone, tired. His mind, back, and heart ached. The whirring was starting again. That noise in his head kept turning up the amp, feeding him with anxiety, longing for Aeryn, and longing to get the frell out of there. And that stinking black spot still sat in the sky against the silvery moon.

"Adu, tell me more about the Spherical. Everything."

"From what I witnessed and gathered in reports, I know that the Spherical has a life of its own. Inside mixtures of CL3 and Fribrium combust together and come 'alive,' wild and ready to eat all molecules and burst it into plasmatic energy, much like the stars.

"From inception, like a baby, the container needs pampering when dropped in the stratosphere. Magnetic energy fields, much like cloaking fields, are emitted to hide it from detection, scanners, satellites, or just about anything else. As a child is within the mother's womb eats and grows, so does the Spherical that develops the two substances to mix and grow.

"A crew of operative specialists escort the container through the ionosphere, mesosphere, all the way to the troposphere. Most times, once the Spherical is delivered, the operatives are obsolete...useless. They are consumed by the destruction.

"I had the privilege to witness this portion. Once this large ball, as you call it, contacts the ground, it begins to spin." Adu gestured with his hands making a spinning motion. "It excretes gas to nullify anything around. And while it spins a second shield is activated, or perhaps it spins so fast until nothing can penetrate it. And then it eats the ground like huge chopping jaws."

John raised a brow. "Eats the ground?"

"Yea brother man. Eats the ground, and that is all I know."

"You can't be finished now, you just started."

"I escaped. Didn't wait to see the outcome. But _this _Spherical is huge, huge. Too big. When we encountered one, it was half the size of my ship. This one? It is huge."

"Thanks for the support."

John stared off into the night with the oculars, measuring any descent. There was none. 

***

It was a long night, and a couple of arns had passed. John and Adu decided to return to the underground lab. After exiting the sub-mobile, they trekked toward the shack. John saw different sub-dwellers, sitting, lying, in a catatonic position. For the smelly creatures, time had stopped. John wished it as well for himself. _Time, stop the nightmare._

"Do you hear something a few motras away, brother man?" Adu asked, interrupting John's musing.

"Nope." John kept walking in the dark, dank tunnel where blue intermittent lights flashed, but the hair on his arms prickled. _Goose bumps and I've got my coat on. Maybe Adu's right._ John stopped and turned, reaching for Winona. He hesitated, scanning the dark shadows, as his fingers twitched over the butt of the pistol.

"Wait, I will investigate. I smell more than sub-dwellers." Holding the pistol above his head, ready to fire, Adu, started back down the tunnel into the shadows. 

"Aha! Come on out or you die!" Adu yelled at some barrels and a lone cart near the sub-mobile tracks. John couldn't see very well, the on and off flickering of the lights blinding him. But he could hear Adu clearly. "I thought I smelled you." Then unexpectedly, Adu holstered his pistol and proffered a hand to someone hidden behind a barrel. 

John couldn't believe his eyes at the large shadow that slowly emerged. John dashed to where Adu stood.

"Gotcha!" John aimed his pistol at her, blocking Adu's proffered hand. "Fancy meeting you again."

Furlow raised her arms. "Don't mean any harm, handsome. I just need to find a way home."

John snickered. "You've lucked out, Mama. By the way, what brings you to our humble abode?"

"You, John. I followed you. Took a shortcut through the mines and who do I see?" She did that shimmy-shake thing with her head again. John noticed she was back in her mechanic's outfit with helmet and all, no bosom showing. Her pupils dilated. "You ruined my last chance to get off this drawback planet." Then she jabbed her index finger into John's chest a few times. "You, mister, and your friends destroyed the last Marauder. Sloppy work! Now I'm stuck here in this frelling nightmare along with the rest of you fahrbots."

"Lower you gun, brother man, she's a friend." Adu put his hand on John's gun wrist and helped to slowly lower it, hoping to keep the two tempered.

"You gotta be kiddin' me, Adu." John threw up his hands. "Do you know how sneaky she is?"

Adu shook his head with hands on hips. "Ah, buella, buella, man. She's in the same fix as we are. There's nowhere safe but inside. Isn't that right, brother man?"

John exhaled. "All right." He slapped Winona back in her holster. "She can't do any harm here. Come on."

***

The temperature had risen slightly within the underground lab since they had left. It was probably due to more of the energy source being transferred to the poles. John immediately shed his coat and threw it on one of the consoles after Adu and Furlow stepped off the lift.

***

Furlow and Adu followed John, matching his stride. She told Adu to slow down to get a better view of the human's black leather, worn like a second skin on his smooth physique. The blue lights within the lab danced gloriously off the human's rhythmic, rounded backside. One cheek went up and the other down, contrasting the forward thrust of his shoulders. 

"The boy's got it, down to his skivvies. You see that, Adu?"

"What should I be observing?"

"The most pulchritudinous buttocks this side of Yontur. Look at them, like Boller fruit, two juicy round ones rubbing against the other." 

Adu gave a throaty laugh and shook his head. "Ahhh, girlie, I can see you were born for trouble."

"I'd just like to get my hands on that! How about it, Adu? Why don't you try it out? See if the fruit is fresh." She nudged him in the side with her elbow.

John kept walking; Furlow could see the human was on edge, from the back, his shoulder muscles crumpled into tight hills beneath his black shirt.

"No." Adu locked eyes with hers. "I'm not the Boller fruit type, I prefer the feminine kind only." 

Furlow tickled Adu under the chin, "You have fine biceps and aren't a bad looker yourself."

"As lovely as you are, my famous Furlow, it is someone else that I desire." Furlow noticed Adu glancing nervously at the human. She didn't understand why the human stopped abruptly. Adu seemed to have erred to say those words. The warrior braced himself for any assault from John, tapping at the pulse pistol on his chest. _Well, distraction always seems to work_, Furlow thought.

"Shame, we could've had fun." Furlow averted her attention toward John only a few motras away. "Ohhhhh...John Crichton! You need to see yourself. By Yontur's goddesses, you look good and juicy from behind." She laughed, her arms akimbo.

John spun around, the vein in his neck pulsed, protruded. "Shut up...the both of you! This isn't the time to gawk. How can you play games like this when everything's about to cave in?"

"It makes no difference," Adu said, shaking his full mane of hair, Furlow became confused at his outburst. Adu continued. "If we cry and wait to die or laugh, things will be as they will be. It's better to be happy. Be happy, brother man."

"What's the matter with you all?" cried John. His eyes were on fire, and Furlow could feel them burn into her and Adu.

***

"You're the matter." Furlow grinned, greedily, seemingly to ignore John's grievances, "Come hither, boy. I've got something for you."

She grabbed his arm and took a jar out of her bag. "I've got this. It's real valuable for a heart stopper like you."

John held out his hand, "Let me see it." Her vanilla eyes blinked, and then she handed it over. John observed the jar containing white dust. "What is it? And, Furlow, we don't have all day."

"Paltimyne. It eats CL3 in its pure form before it's mixed with Fribium. By the naked eye, even a general scan, the stuff appears like CL3, its crap looks like CL3, and its newborn looks the same, too."

"Well, wouldn't you know, we have a solution too late. It looks like the crap didn't hit the Spherical soon enough! Since it's still set to blow, what difference does this make?"

"Well, let me open your eyes a little. Grayza didn't reimburse me with the Cretmars. What I sold was worth quadruple what I received. So I made sure there was an even trade. You know, that little mishap with the Charrid ship right before the Command Carrier took off?" She chuckled, "That was a distraction to get this aboard the carrier. Grayza won't know the difference. And when she does...or IF she does, it'll be too late. How do you like that?" She did that shimmy-shake thing with her head.

John towered over her, but somehow she still managed to grab him by his neck and pulled his face to hers. "You look good from both ends. I never can get enough of you, Crichton."

John flushed and stayed level with her eyes, peering long, hard, with an eagle's eye. "You're saying this because Aeryn isn't here. And you know what, Furlow, I've been burned by you once. So, girlfriend, I'm not getting burned again."

"It was twice, burned twice. Just like your...cheeks." She pinched him on the side of his mouth and spoke softly in his ear. "It's twice the dabbling." 

John cocked his head. "You want some of my gluteus maximus?" He slapped his rear with a resounding smack against leather. "It's already been whipped in the used car lot, Mama!"

"Maybe you need some more." She grabbed John closer, pulling him into her huge embrace, smothering him. Then she wrapped her humongous arms around his slender hips and grabbed his human backside with full hands. John's eyes popped open.

__

Frell! He was infuriated, wanted to slap her senseless. He smacked and pushed her hands away. Through all his vexation, he hadn't noticed his Winona hijacked by the Mama of Dam-ba-da. He completely thrust her huge frame from him only to find his own pistol aimed at his chest. _Stupid! Stupid! And stupider!_

John raised his arms. "Hey, give a guy a break. Let's call it a truce and you give me my pistol and I'll hitch you a ride back, okay?"

"Actually, John, I never accounted for the Spherical getting loose. I hoped, really hoped these little bugs got into it, but nope. Nope. I found out that _frelling_ Grayza had already stored CL3 for the Spherical that wasn't part of my shipments. After all I had done to get those shipments of CL3 ruined, it still looks like this side of the universe is slated to blow." She shook her head. "And I had nowhere to go when you fekkiks blew up the Marauder. All hope was gone. But who appears out of nowhere? You! John Crichton, my fortune. Wherever you are, your module follows. And I can fly the frelling thing with, by the way, wormhole knowledge. Just think, I can escape, leaving all of you to manage your heroics."

***

Adu kept an eye on the crafty Sebacean. Her reputation preceded her countless times, and Adu was not ignorant to any of them. One of her ploys was to find victims' weaknesses, then frustrate and confuse them in order to attack. And for John, it seemed he was all the more vulnerable to her cunning and blind to her devices. It was good Furlow thought Adu an ally, so she wasn't watching him, needling him like John. Adu examined her body movements, which had given away her next manipulation. John needed help.

***

John laughed dryly and waited, letting her explain until a loud crack on her head knocked her unconscious.

"Thanks, Adu. To the cell she goes. You better get three more guys to help pick her up. And, while you're at it, throw away the key."

***

__

Time...time...time is winding up...

"John Crichton," Sikozu spoke over the comm. "We have a problem!"

"Another one? That's all we need." He walked into the field. "Okay, what's up?"

"I've been working on this all night and you see it's morning," Sikozu said with an agitated and nippy edge to her voice.

Frustrated by her tone, John snapped, "Yeah, we've been working too. And it's what? Like...five a.m.?" He glanced at the three viewers, one on either side of the research console and one in the middle of the console, all tracking the Spherical. The one to his left showed a sliver of magenta over the horizon. It must be getting close to dawn. _No wonder we're all so trashed and cranky. _"So what's your problem?"

Ignoring his sarcasm, Sikozu continued, her voice always lilting up at the end of her sentences. "Even Noranti has been helping, and we have found the sub-dwellers need a whole solar day for the molecular disabler tool to take effect. And if we adapt the tool to shield the caves first, then they will die."

"What do you mean?"

"We cannot use the disabler tool--" 

Adu sharply interrupted her, "Buella, girlie, it is a molecular restructuring tool, not a disabler. We are not targeting metal, chemicals, or such the like, which are changed by the disabler tool. We are targeting flesh. And that calls for molecular restructuring. Did you account for that?"

Sikozu chillingly lifted her chin, her voice haughty with anger as she said, "Captain Kendrell, I have _accounted_ for every known variable given to me. Do not doubt my diligence. And I thought you were a gentleman. Did you defraud me with social airs by kissing my hand?"

John noticed Adu shift his stance and tighten his jaw. Adu leaned forward into the image field, his voice low and authoritative. "There is an appointed time for everything, Sikozu. A time to tear down and a time to build. Now is not the time to refute."

"Okay, well said, Adu," John said soothingly, trying to calm them both down. _Time's short, and tempers shorter._ "Now let's get down to business. Sikozu, give me an understanding."

"It is as I said before, they will die if we transform the tool from changing the sub-dwellers to a shield from the bomb. We actually need to do the sub-dwellers first, but there isn't enough time to completely change them."

"Wait!" John held up his arms. "Why do they have to be done first?"

"Because we need to take a full solar day to expose them to the signature, they will not endure the shock of change if exposed less than a solar day. And apparently there isn't enough time for the exposure before the Spherical comes. You do know we can only use one signature application at a time."

"You're saying we can't save them?"

"That is exactly what I'm conveying. Once you change from exposing the sub-dwellers to shielding the Spherical, their lives are endangered. Also, we have checked our configurations here and it seems the poles that generate the signature are too far apart to protect the lab you are in. There is a high probability that you will not survive the blast. "

"I don't accept that. We'll keep the signature on the sub-dwellers as long as possible. If necessary, at the last microt, we'll switch it to the defense shield. It'll have to work. Give us the signature alignment so we can get this show on the road."

Sikozu turned away from the field. He still heard her say, "Don't say I warned you." _Always so positive, Sputnik_, he thought with a sigh and rubbed his aching forehead.

His plan had to work. The poles were strategically placed by the deceased Palimous in all the caves prolific with stalactite and stalagmite throughout the whole planet. It was an intricate network of poles in tunnels and caves to keep the change in the sub-dweller's molecular structure constant or to keep them from changing back to their original form. And every sub-dweller on the face of Yontur would be affected by it. That should work.

From Adu's speculations, once the Spherical contacted the ground, it would spin, then pound and funnel through until it crashed into the underground where the stalactite and stalagmite were prolific. Problem was where? John didn't exactly know. Even if they couldn't protect the planet's surface, due to lack of material and time, the simplest and most feasible resolution would be to use the underground poles. _Go ahead, "Fat Man," explode, the poles will suck up your tail._ That's what he hoped for. But what you hoped for, you didn't always get.

John felt himself in the middle of a converging sea of minds, hands, bodies that worked non-stop to keep the sub-dwellers alive while ensuring the signature was strong enough to shield the lab and stalactite at the same time. Nothing worked. It couldn't do two things at once. It couldn't even guarantee them safety from the inevitable blast. His head ached and stomach growled ferociously, leaving a nauseous sensation. 

__

I need a break. 

He raked his hair with his fingers, pacing back and forth, dodging the scientists at work. Chocolate and caramel, no a Kit Kat bar, that's what he needed down here to keep him going. Earth was what he missed and all its conveniences, commercials, simplicity, and peace...

__

Oh God, I miss Aeryn. 

His heart hammered in his chest at the thought of her. He had to set his mind, keep it pumped, keep it turned away from his yearning for her. To alleviate his appetite for food and Aeryn, John began humming that familiar tune.

"Gimme a break, gimme a break. Break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar." He kept singing it until some of the workers glanced at him with incredulous eyes. He stopped pacing, but kept singing, drumming his fingers on the console facing him. 

"Break me off a piece of that--" John paused midstream, "bar?" He laughed and pointed his finger at Adu. "There's hope after all, buddy!"

***

Like smelling the rain when it culminates in the atmosphere, he could sense the shift, the change in the sub-dwellers. It was death losing grip; their scent changed from a putrid acidic smell to something that resembled rotten meat. John located where they were, walked over the convulsing bodies, and observed the metamorphosis. Some sub-dwellers were littered throughout the lab and others outside near the track and who knew where else. Almost stumbling over a body writhing at their feet, John and Adu went to get some of the scientists rounded up to attach a pole to the lab. John was silently thankful for that "piece of Kit Kat bar," that horizontal long bar, which would span the gap in coverage between the pole and the lab. Jumping, balancing on his feet, and straddling over the littered bodies became a feat for him as he and Adu scrambled through the building. They had little time.

__

God...grotesque! Smells of bubbling flesh permeated the lab as they left through the door.

John barked commands to have a pole transferred, and they attached it to the outer parameter of the lab. That took manpower, tools, and time, an entire arn of feverish work. With the help of Sikozu's instruction by the comms, John, Adu, and some of the scientists brought everything together without a hitch...smooth like silk. They had attached the bar, rearranged cables, and ensured the signature was restructured to continue the change of the sub-dwellers' molecules. The crew returned to the lab to rejoin the frantic work in progress there.

The vents were turned up full force, circulating clean air in and the foul stench out. It was still warm, but nothing John couldn't handle. On the other hand, everyone in the room seemed to show a slight sign of discomfort. The scientists discarded their lab coats, while others fanned themselves with makeshift sheets of metal or their bare hands. 

Heat and pressure was bad combination with overworked people; tension made it a worse one. Suddenly John heard screams from one of the work stations. John and Adu ran with goo sticking on the soles of their boots to find a female tech bending over a pasty, slimy figure huddled on the floor. The female fell to her knees and wept. John squinted, unable to understand what was wrong. Before he could ask Adu, he heard more screams spasmodically occurring throughout the lab.

"What's goin' on?" John knelt with Adu over the body where the tech lamented. 

Adu touched what appeared to be a face, slime sticking to his fingers. "The sub-dwellers are no longer the creatures we encountered. See the face, the tag...unique, representing a household. She recognizes who this is."

"But--" At first John was ready to refute Adu's words; however, the features had already bubbled from an ebony mask and ember eyes to a cream-colored goo with sockets for eyes. Now, the features becoming defined and the once ebony-shadowed bodies were becoming human-looking. John touched the tag with Sebacean writing, sickened at the writhing bodies within the lab. There was nothing he could do for any of them but keep the signature going to keep them alive.

__

A gear snapped...like a clock out of timing...tick...tock...

The once synchronous order within the lab fractured, like a conductor losing rhythm, concentration, and heart. The scientists lost focus on their work, becoming distressed and distracted by the change of the sub-dwellers, as well as the heat. Some wailed and others fell before recognized loved ones. They were in a pit of confusion.

In front, John noticed some of the workers, like players of broken instruments, plucking and poking at foul bodies that shook like creamy Jell-O. They forgot the three-dimensional hologram of the Spherical. The whole place filled with these people tending to their own and covering the bodies with towels. They forsook the electronic files and connection of holographic coordinates to three-dimensional data strings. The electrical field of light, left unmanned, kept projecting images of the doomsday machine.

From behind, like the bass and loud clashing cymbals, other scientists left their tools to coordinate and help the sick and fallen sub-dwellers. No funneling in and out of the room through a tunnel door took place. The former sub-dwellers found were brought in to recover, and the stalactite, hardware, and containers were left on lab tables. No clanging noises persisted, only the cries for the lost...now found. 

***

It was a few arns later when Pilot contacted them.

"Commander Crichton," Pilot said as he came into full view in the image field. "There has been a change on our scanners. It appears the Spherical's energy output has become critical. And there have been quite a few anomalies circling it, starting a few microts ago. We hadn't detected this before, which confirms our scanners have readjusted to maximum usage."

"What's out there, Pilot?" John asked.

"Two Marauders are in the stratosphere on auto pilot with no life signs! I have tried to comm them and there is no reply. I can see there are twelve objects escorting the machine. And they appear to be--" Pilot's expression went blank, then he blinked. "They are Peacekeepers." Pilot paused for a microt, his brow crinkled. "John?" Pilot seemed worried; there was a note of distress in his voice.

"Yeah?"

"The Spherical has begun its descent."

***

During a fire, there's a reason for no stampeding. During panic, there's a reason for calm. During confusion, there's a reason for order. 

Every alarm in John's brain went off, screaming, _RUN!_ He stood petrified, hearing nothing, seeing nothing, his only perception the torturous drumming of his heartbeat in his ears.

"Commander?" Pilot queried, his voice breaking John out of his panicked state.

John quickly nodded, "Pilot, we've got everything under control. I've got a plan. And it'll work." That was an outright lie. But the comms were open 24/7 and Aeryn could hear every word. He had to give _Moya_'s crew confidence, even if it was false. "Trust me." John put on a plastic smile and threw Pilot a thumb's up.

John swung around and ran up to Adu, who was assisting another tech near a monitor next to the image field.

"It's coming." John grabbed the warrior's arm, ignoring the anxious tech in conversation with Adu. "We've got to do something."

"Yes, we know," Adu said, then pointed to the tech. "Tech Fyet has some equipment for us to take with us on the surface." Adu proffered a white mask and clamp. "Take the mask and hook it to your belt. You'll need this when the Spherical starts releasing neuromuscular paralysis gas. Here clamp it on now." Adu forced the mask into John's hand.

John slapped it back. "What? I'm not going up there. We're safe down here." 

Before John could respond, Adu swiftly reached around to John's backside and clamped the mask to belt with a snap. After that act, Adu raised his arms in surrender and cocked an eyebrow. "Brother man, don't say I didn't help you." 

That element of surprise made John realize how vulnerable he was in this world. But one good thing he realized, there was no need to go on the offense with Adu. If any harm were to be done by this warrior, it would've been done long time ago. So John, with arms crossed still unwilling to trust completely, stood there squinting at Adu, who was now retrieving a huge eight-revolver shooter from beneath the console. Adu hefted the cumbersome gun and handed it to John. "You will need this too, brother man."

"I like big guns, but--" Before he could finish, he heard the Regent shuffle from behind wheezing.

"They will not listen to me. There is too much fear. Captain Adu, Commander Crichton, there is too much unrest here. You both must hurry to the surface before--"

John now understood why the Regent was distraught. By the looks of things, some of the scientists were at their wits' end, desperate to make the plan work; others had already given up. 

"We will die," came from one end of the lab. 

"Let us leave to be with our families," another cry wailed from behind.

"Frell this dren!" Another yell rang out in bitterness. John made eye contact with the protester from the far side of the room. A husky dark-haired man stood in a sleeveless dirty white T-shirt. "We will not continue when there is no more time. You! Yes!" 

John pointed at himself. "Me?" 

"You, homen, have brought this woe upon us! I cannot be with my mate because you have brought the Spherical upon us!"

John faced the Regent and spoke quietly and quickly. "Hold up, Regent. I'll talk to 'em. If it's okay with you?" The Regent nodded. John took that as an affirmative for everything. Keeping eye contact with the protester, John spoke into Adu's ear. "Round up the best guys you've got here. Any able-bodied person and the Regent's guards if you can. We need some offense and defense. Got it?"

"Aye," Adu said.

Noticing the protestor making his approach from the other end of the room, John nodded at Adu and saw the warrior make flight to round up the team.

"Great!" John said, loudly, clearly for all to hear. And in one fluid motion, he hopped on the console and shocked everyone by the erratic act. 

He whistled between his two fingers, causing many to cover their ears. "Listen up! Everybody!"

Confusion and panic permeated the lab like a river of thick molasses, sticky. The room was stuffy and musty, making it hard to concentrate on the task. Bodies littered the area. Many techs sat despondently on the floor beside the recumbent and prostrate sub-dwellers, who were collapsed against the wall or on narrow make-shift cots arranged in lines. Others lay on the floor toward the center of the lab. 

John circled on the console and waved his arms. "Hey! Now can I get your attention?" 

A rustle near the heel of John's boot caught his attention. John swiftly turned to find the cynic and two buddies at the edge of the console and with their palms smacked down on the surface.

"Homen and scientists mark my words!" The protestor addressed John and slapped the console with the flat of his palm. "Why bring these sub-dwellers back alive to see their deaths once more?" He slapped it once more, addressing the Regent. "What cruelty lies within your homen, our Regent?" The cynic instead of slapping the console, swiftly grabbed John's ankle with a thick hand and held John there. 

John didn't struggle but stood and allowed the Sebacean a chance to speak, the man's grip tight on his ankle. However, John heard the man's impassioned words only dimly, his attention drawn to the unfortunates beyond awaiting their fate. The bodies of the sub-dwellers quaked as the filmy residue dried upon their skins, the tremors the only indication that they were still alive.

Reluctantly, John looked at his tormentor. The Sebacean's hazelnut eyes were clouded with blinded anger and fear, as his muscles that knew heavy labor tightened, his knuckles whitening as he clenched John's ankle. _This guy is right. _If the shield didn't work the sub-dwellers would die. And even if everyone survived the Spherical, there was no guarantee the sub-dwellers would survive the switch of the poles. _It's all my fault that Grayza's dropped a bomb on these guys. They are innocents waiting for death._

Wherever he fled, there was no getting away from the Peacekeepers. And now he had caused the demise of Yontur because he didn't give Grayza the wormhole information in his head. That pang of guilt slammed like a blow against his chest. But at that moment, he didn't have the heart to draw, aim, and fire. He was frozen, guilt-stricken. 

The cynic drove the accusation deeper into John's heart. "Can't you see there is no use to defeat such a thing? This man has robbed our last moments and wrought woes upon us. Now we suffer by his hand. Why do we listen to him?"

__

Enough is enough! At once, John knew they had to listen. They had a chance of saving many of the people of Yontur, and he had to make sure it happened. Kicking his heel out of the man's grasp, John leaped away and landed on the other side of the console without losing balance. 

"It's Human. H-U-M-A-N. Human!" John shouted the word, then pointed at the Sebacean. "Don't say it like that again if you know what's good for you." He pulled his pistol and aimed it at the guy. "Okay, we don't have time for this. We have the chance to save your world. You want to throw that away? All of you? The chance to save at least some of your families, your children?"

"They are already lost! We are already lost--"

"I refuse to accept that. I refuse to let you make the decision for every person in this room. You don't want to help, fine. But you're not condemning the ones who want to live."

The guy wouldn't let up and pulled himself onto the console. 

"For justice, you will be the first to die!"

With a brief stride, the protestor pushed on John's chest with his left hand. Barely a microt passed and John caught the guy's arm, looking at him with no words passing between them. The guy suddenly reached with his right hand for John's pistol, and John counteracted, slapping the man's hand away then shoved him off the console. It was a loud thud when he fell not harming anyone nearby.

In the sea of faces, John found the Regent and was glad also to see two guards rapidly approaching. John gave the fallen cynic his wry grin. "My Regent buddy here is gonna lock you up with a long lost friend of mine." The Regent's gray-clad guards grabbed the guy and walked away. And John yelled at them as they left. "While you're at it, throw away the keys!"

The screens flickered behind John when he began to continue his speech. Then Pilot's voice interrupted, "The Spherical is descending now to one metra above Yontur."

John turned and saw Pilot in the image field six motras away. Still standing on the console, John raked fingers through his hair. "Pilot, can you give us details on the Spherical, where it's headed?"

"No, commander, our scans have reached its limitations. Fortunately the image field helps to detect the machine."

"Thanks, Pilot, keep us updated." John faced the crowd. He could see their restlessness and hear some of their murmurings much like the protestor. John raised his hands and said, "Look, I could be on _Moya_ and Starburst from you ingrates without a care in this world." He laughed. "You got woes. Well, we all do. But right now, we've got a Spherical headed our way. And it's time to look the devil in the eye." He paced the console, gesturing, pointing, and all the while trying to get the point across. "Look at the monitors. They're machines that need to be manned. If you don't ride 'em like a Porsche, there's no control. We crash. We've got to work together, know where this bomb is going, and how long it's taking. If not--KA-BOOM!" John waited for the effect. _They've given up. They just don't get it that there's always hope. _The scientists still clung in their places with the ex sub-dwellers, eyeballing him as if he were a fool.

John had to push, to get them moving. But how? He continued, hoping this would work. "Better yet, I could be at home, watching Monday night football game, eatin' my barbecue with a Brewskie. But I'm not. I'm here with you." In a heartbeat, he slipped off the console and dropped down by the two guys that had been with the cynic. Swiftly, he closed the distance to look them in the eye, their faces only inches away, almost touching noses.

"And you." John poked one in the chest for emphasis as he spoke, "You have nothing to fear but fear itself!"

With that impact, John leaped back onto the console and spoke loudly with boldness. He pointed to a monitor where the dark Spherical appeared. "Fear not. Those with us are greater than those with them." Then he stood with arms akimbo. "Frell, if we work together, who knows? You may have too many cycles to spend with your folks. Come on, guys. Let's stick together. How about it?"

The scientists got up from their fallen families and returned to their stations, slowly as if the Spherical would grow angry at their incentive to work. But John was happy to have their cooperation to monitor the Spherical. It was what he and Adu needed for defense.

He hopped off the console and stopped Adu from taking the lift. "I've got something to do. It'll only take a jiff. Okay?" 

Adu's brow crinkled, "We don't have time--" Before he could finish, John had already made his way toward a metallurgist. Kha'Lan was her name. She was with the other scientist where the stalactite, hardware, and containers were left on lab tables. Tools were scattered on the table, along with contraptions that appeared to be torches, compressors, molds, and a couple of miniature smelters. Beforehand, the Regent had recommended her to John for what he needed. He anxiously headed toward the small female with short stubby hair by the name of Kha'Lan, hoping his idea would work and she would be able to deliver.

***

He moved to the pace of ancient instruments played in Armana's dancing clubs. The long stride of his strong legs enhanced the bounce of the hanging white gas mask from his belt. It kept smacking against his leathered rear. Flip, flop, flip, flop the mask went, up and down, up and down. Kha'lan recognized it was an instrument to preserve one's life from poisonous gas. This specie's life if met with the Spherical's gas would be safe. How ironic it was, a life-saving tool as this dancing on his rear like the beaded strings and fringes of her ancient tribe's costumes during accelerated dances. It danced on him like something made only for frivolity.

This _human_, loose, wild, bursting from the frigidity of a uniformed Peacekeeper, wore the black undergarment shirt as if it were standard uniform for battle, not in the least embarrassed at his naked disregard of regulations. He defied all their social standards and all that she had learned in her lifetime. Nature and universal things seemed to tumble away at his feet while he scoffed them away with his arrogance. 

She should have feared him, the way his crystalline eyes flared with fire. Quailing would have been appropriate for her under the circumstances with imminent death waxing closer. And his loudness should have caused her to quake unreasonably. However, despite this creature's erratic behavior, within him glowed an ember of—hope.

Some of his words she could not comprehend, but others were expressed with clarity. 

__

"You have nothing to fear but fear itself!"

"Fear not. Those with us are greater than those with them." 

What manner of species was he? That even impending doom could wash away? However, doom had tantalized her far before the Spherical. Kha'Lan's mother and father had been killed in a mining accident. Her sibling was lost a cycle ago when they wrested the child away from Kha'Lan's care. Not of parenting age, the socialists had said. And all she had left was a plastic flimsy image of her, kept within her pocket always.

She noticed the _human _had turned away from the lift and now pressed through the bodies toward her. Afraid, Kha'Lan put her hand against her throat. Suddenly, he was only denches away!

"Can you help me?" he asked gently. All the arrogance had left, his taunt features relaxing, and even as his sparkling eyes remained intense as they caught hers. 

Kha'Lan smiled against her will. "Commander, what is it that you need?"

"This." He reached in his pockets and pulled out a small metallic object. He told her unfamiliar dimensions for the metal piece. "Can you do it?"

Suddenly, Kha'Lan's wish, desire, dream became believable, a sprig of hope lit within herself. This _human_ seemed kind, seemed to care. He could help to find Rea'Lan her lost sister. 

"Will you help me?" Kha'Lan asked as she peered up into the tall one's brilliant eyes, unusual in her part of the world. He was statuesque like the marbled monuments of their patriots, heroes of long ago that sacrificed their lives for the cause of freedom.

"Anything." John bent at eyelevel with her. He was dizzyingly tall, towering over her head, which barely reached his chest. She handed the human the plastic flimsy of her sister. Still bent over, he took it gently and peered at it with a crinkled brow.

"She is my sister. Her name is Rea'Lan and may be one of the sub-dwellers. Will you find her?" Kha'Lan feared he would say no. But she felt his large hand close ever so gently on her shoulder.

"I'll do my best," he said in a soft tone. "You trust me with this, and I'll trust you with that." He pointed to the metal object. "It's _my_ treasure. Okay?"

Kha'Lan smiled with hope burning in her heart. Now she understood why his name was always whispered with awe on the lips of Yontur: _John Crichton_.

***

John grabbed his coat and caught up with Adu and eight other men at the lift. Anxiously, Adu gripped John by the forearm. "Things have changed critically!"

"What do ya mean?" John locked eyes with the Captain.

"Some sub-dwellers that have been transformed early from the outside have surfaced."

"Again, _what _do you mean?" Though his tone was low, it scraped with dread in his ears, like fingernails on a blackboard. Adu wasn't offering much reassurance, his jaw working soundlessly as he tried to find the words.

Adu crossed his arms, "We have to fetch them, bring them back to safety."

"Can't win for losing." 

__

Time, time, time. It's always about time, isn't it, John? 

That familiar voice invaded his mind once more. There stood Harvey in a SWAT team's uniform, bullet-proof vest and all. John looked around and found himself in a small cubed room. A miniature bomb was in a corner ticking away, adorned with an LCD timer that displayed large red digital numbers, flashing the seconds.

"Chief, can't you see how crazy all this is?" Harvey said, his face too close and jaw working loudly, chewing a huge wad of watermelon bubblegum. "You see, you have to get to the module and escape. Leave these losers behind. Let 'em blow. They ain't family." It was the fake slang that irritated John, and what grated him even more was the cowardice of Harvey, blatant cowardice that dwelled within himself. And what made this creature's voice more intolerable was John's temptation to do just what his tormentor wanted. Anger welled within him and was targeted at Harvey who exposed John's weakness.

John grabbed the ebony masked jaw with arm extended and growled. "Spit the freakin' gum out! No chewing gum while I'm on a mission." Suddenly, a huge pink sticky ball of goo popped and splattered in John's face. Out of instinct, fear, or just disgust, John drew his pistol and aimed it at his friendly nemesis.

Harvey darted to the bomb and put his arms up in surrender. "Don't shoot, Chief! Don't shoot the bomb!" The black residue of Scorpius' personality waved at John, flapping his arms as he protected the bomb. "I don't want to die! Please, John."

"Get outta my head, Harvey," John said, quietly now with no more vehemence. He plopped the pistol back in its holster and took on the chore of plucking the residue of bubblegum from his face. The fight was gone in him as he kept removing the sticky stuff. John looked at his SWAT uniform with light pink gum splattered on navy blue. 

"If I could escape, I would. But, in times like these, there's no way out." Tired of the whole ordeal, John sighed and turned away from Harvey and the bomb. "Go away. There's a planet I've got to save." The words were empty to him, like a whisper ebbing away. 

__

Tick...tick...tick. Don't want to die.

He sighed as the vision left and leaned his head against the glass shield, closed his eyes shut and wished this would all go away.


	9. Impact: Solar Day Three

****

Chapter 9 - Impact: Solar Day Three

__

The cords and sorrows of death were around me, and the terrors of Sheol (the place of the dead) had laid hold of me; I suffered anguish and grief (trouble and sorrow).

Then called I upon the name of the Lord: O Lord, I beseech You, save my life and deliver me!

--Psalm 116:3-4 (The Amplified Bible)

_____________________________________________________________________________

In the midst of the firmaments, its dark shape separated the light from the dark as the evening of the third day began. And darkness was upon the face of Armana. The clouds were without form and the sky an empty waste, and death came upon the face of the Spherical as it descended. 

The Spherical slowly approached over their heads, huge and intimidating like the balloons of a Macy's parade.

The operatives hovered around it, like apparitions to taunt tormented souls. The number of them totaled twelve black sentinels, one aboard each aerial platform. They watched for any movement that would disturb their destination, taut and ready for action. As told by Adu, these messengers of doom were the Peacekeeper's finest Commandos, the Black Ghosts. 

__

That's one big mother, John thought, peering through the oculars. 

Evoked by the Spherical's magnetic energy, the breeze chafed John, causing his skin to burn and his coat to flap against his leg while he watched the terror. Feeling prickles or goose bumps, even with his coat on, was no comparison to what he had felt when they had emerged from the sub-mobile out into the street. His skin had felt like exploding, felt as if it were being sucked from his bones from the internal pressure after leaving the sub-mobile. John looked up, no longer having to squint, and saw the huge shadow overtake them as the Spherical passed over. It measured nearly the full width of the street, about fifty to fifty-six feet.

__

Oh, God, deliver us from this Sheol. There's enough lives on my hands. I can't let this thing win, John thought. 

Remembering those days when the Reverend delivered those old time messages, John thought it was like peering up at the black belly of Sheol. Had death really arrived for them? John crouched with Adu and the team under cover, peeking around the side of a building, trying to make sense of the humongous sphere that promised death. Rifts of design patterned on its surface, alien cuneiform writing was displayed within the planes of the ebony-curved surface, and on its diameter were twenty or so odd cup-like extensions. To John, they appeared like ladles without the handles to scoop up the ground. 

The Spherical's shadow spanned an eighth of a metra over Armana, dwarfing the skyscrapers. It proceeded north only motras above the buildings. John let out a sigh of relief when they weren't spotted after the sphere passed overhead. Slowly, it proceeded across the city, the twelve armed Peacekeepers holding vigilant watch from their platforms. Increasing the magnification, John saw that the weapon wasn't a standard-issue pulse rifle like Aeryn always toted around in battle. Its barrel was double the size, appearing more like a miniature missile launcher.

Beforehand, they had discussed the plans within the sub-mobile: round up the Sebaceans, keep the operatives from knowing they were there, then get the frell out of Dodge. This was as normal as any other hare-brained plan like his: impossible to follow through without screwing up.

Farther down the Spherical's path, there were sub-mobile ports every other block. This gave them access to an escape route at any point of contact with the Sebaceans. John and the team followed about two hundred motras behind, crouching and hiding, then bursting forth across open space to cover again, going north toward the Temple of Gratuities. No firepower erupted, neither were they detected as they pounded the pavement. But John couldn't get over the hugeness of the round black ball as it skimmed along, barely above the skyscrapers. If the Spherical lowered, the streets seemed wide enough, like an eight-lane thoroughfare, to contain it. 

__

One big fat armadillo coming up. You want fries with that? John mused. That's what it looked like a balled-up armadillo, especially with the rifts that appeared like sectioned plates in its curved surface. And at that moment, realizing the magnitude of the weapon, John needed to reach the Sebaceans soon before that huge eight-ball in the sky made its destination. Once it stopped and touched the ground, he didn't want to be there for the grand show. They all had to make it out of there before things got nasty. 

***

All the pacing and running, chasing after the Spherical, eventually wore them down. The electrified air made the chase more difficult, like breathing hot air in a fire. John wondered how Adu and the guards fared in the heat. It seemed all of them were holding out. John was amazed that Adu and the Sebacean guards were able to struggle along in the heat. None of them faltered.

Finally, they spotted the Sebaceans, wandering aimlessly and scattered within the Spherical's range. Fortunately, no firepower erupted at that point. John gave a sigh of relief that no harm was being inflicted. At the moment, it appeared the operatives were ignoring the Sebaceans. 

The big black ball ambled on without any regard.

Adu sent six of the guards to round up the poor souls. A few elderly men and women, some teenagers, girls, boys, and toddlers made up the group. As the seventeen Sebaceans staggered closer, John stopped abruptly, shocked by their appearance. Suffering from exposure to the conditions outdoors and the extreme light, they were shivering, with barely the strength to hold themselves up. They were all naked with only tags around their necks, contrasting their exposed and bruised pale flesh. 

Stunned by the atrocity done against them, John wished he could've killed Palimous himself, for taking harmless, trusting people like these and turning them into slaves. Now Palimous' legacy was this abhorrence. John winced, turning away from the sight with bile rising in his mouth from the evident foul treatment of them. _Palimous, you've joined the ranks of Nazism and attempted genocide_, he thought. 

Seventeen of them were taken to a nearby port to go below. Six guards and the dazed Sebaceans were gone, and now there was only he, Adu, and two other guards left. Their mission was nearly complete. They only needed to find one more. If they couldn't find that one within a quarter of an arn, they would have to leave. They ran quickly to catch up with the Spherical. Time was ticking away; John could feel its desperate passage.

***

Suddenly, the Spherical stopped. The operatives maneuvered their aerial platforms cautiously, slowly, to make featherlike contact with the ground. John could see rings, and ripples form as the beams from their mini-missile launchers lanced the atmosphere. What kind of weapon were they up against and who the frell were they shooting at?

John and company were peeking around the corner of a smaller building when a whirring blimp flew over them.

"That doesn't look good," John said, after he dodged the thing, pointing at it flying toward the Spherical. 

Adu nodded. "I agree. The street sensors must have activated the blimps. See ahead, all the blimps have been released. The operatives are firing at the blimps to protect the Spherical. Now we'll have to be more careful. That particular weapon not only pulverizes whatever it hits, but also it paralyzes the neural system of a living creature. Anything standing within range is paralyzed, then dies. The operatives ensures the Spherical's protection at this stage of vulnerability. Nothing can touch it, until it's ready."

John cursed beneath his breath. "Now isn't this my luck. Blimps, of all things, have just frelled up our whole plan. I guess this is as good as it's going to get. Ain't that right, Adu?" 

Adu in answer to John gave a lame smile.

But it wasn't good. Everything went south when he spotted her. After they closed in on the action, John saw a child crying between two pillars at the plinth. The blasts weren't reaching her, but she wavered uncertainly, seeming ready to sprint out into danger.

"What are they doing? Why shoot at her and not the others?" John hollered. He spoke of the seventeen Sebaceans the operatives had ignored. _Those freakin', pain in the butt, dren-infested blimps now ruined the rescue._ "Why can't they just shoot at the blimps, not her!" He cursed again and hit his knee.

"This is bad, bad. Very bad for the child." Adu shook his head, chest heaving from all the exertion. "The sphere is now highly vulnerable. It has something to do with anything touching the outer surface will cause premature eruption, leading to a failed targeted explosion. The Spherical must make it to the stalactite to explode the three planets. Otherwise, only a portion of this planet will be impacted."

"That sounds cheerful." The girl was moving and she looked familiar. John took out the flimsy to make identification. It _was_ her! Just his luck!

"We can't save her. It's too dangerous." Adu grabbed John's arm and started to retreat.

"No! Cover me. I'll get her." John pulled his arm from Adu's grasp and peered at the danger ahead. Steeling himself to take the first step, he counted the blasts and calculated from the angles of the shots where he should position his feet. More blasts flared, but not in his direction. At least not yet.

__

Ready. Steady. Go!

He sprinted across the street, dodging the operatives' blasts.

John hefted the eight-shooter and blasted away a couple of operatives, hitting the platforms and then them. He could hear the dull thud of falling enemies and smell the acrid burning of flesh. John kept running, hearing firepower from behind and in front. Then it all stopped.

__

Too quiet!

John sensed no movements a few moments before he reached the child. In the middle of the street, he turned toward the Spherical where the operatives were firing and found them fallen. All were down. Still. Not moving. 

Adu caught up with John and explained why the operatives had stopped firing. It was a suicide mission for the operatives to fulfill Grayza's orders . They had taken poison according to orders, knowing there was no time to escape from impact. This was a mercy killing. The Black Ghosts, the elite of the Peacekeepers were no longer needed. Their duty was complete and the Spherical was no longer vulnerable. Adu sharply turned toward the Spherical lowering between the buildings. "Let's go!"

That was a cue for him to finish what he had started. The child was still screaming and crying. Grabbing the strap, John slung the gun onto the steps and snatched off his coat. With one stride, he reached the girl, wrapping the coat around her and sweeping her into his arms. He sat against the pillar's base, ensuring the coat was well-wrapped around her. "Hey, it'll be okay, Rea'Lan." He bit his lip and held the hiccupping child against him, her little head poking out of the black leather wrap. Finally, sensing security, she had settled down. Then she wrestled her little fat arms out to hold tightly against his neck. John sighed. 

Was this how it would be with his child? Sweet. She's so fragile to be in such a rough world. He smiled and stroked Rea'Lan's dusty blonde hair back, her eyes pitch black framed by pale skin. And her wet face sank back into John's neck, her tears soaking his T-shirt collar. He readied himself to leave, to pick up his gun and take off running. 

It stopped him, the hissing from motras away coming out of the Spherical. John quickly recognized it was the neural paralyzing gas spewing from it. He quickly unclamped the mask from his belt and put it over the child's mouth, gathering her into his arms to rush her to safety.

Then the ground shook beneath him. The sphere had crashed into part of the building, and it was slowly toppling. The dust was choking him and the child while the Spherical descended until it was nearly touching the street. John lifted the child in his arms, one hand holding the mask to her face. Focusing on Adu, crouched behind a stone monolith fronted by a sprinkling fountain, John began to run as the ground beneath him shook again, groaning even before the Spherical touched it.

From out of nowhere a blast ricocheted and hit him. It felt different from a pulse pistol's burn. It had a percussive feel, splitting the air. A loud, scratching noise grated his ears, and prickled his flesh. It was as if everything within him exploded, his brain set on fire. A network of pain seared the nerve endings of his wounded back and enflamed his wounds. His skin became one organism of stabbing pain. 

John felt death approach. Face down in the street, his body covering the child, John used his waning strength to reach into his pants pocket to find his keepsake, his lifeline, a part of his love. The pain kept shooting through him, but he fought it, inching his throbbing fingers through the chafing material of his pocket. _Can I do it?_ He kept inching. There it was. He got it! 

__

Aeryn's flight pin! Baby, I'll miss you. 

He took it out and squeezed it, tight. He barely could roll to his side off the child. With much struggle, he succeeded and brought his balled fist to his chest, never feeling the sharp broken edges of the pin. A piece of Aeryn's flight pin had been broken off for the metallurgist to work with. Something for her to remember him by. With that hope, he never felt the edges cut into his flesh.

__

My center. 

His eyes fluttered shut. Then he felt nothing.

***

Adu saw the whole horrific act unfolding before him. He thought John, after retrieving the child, would follow him to the sub-mobile port. But Adu was proven wrong; brother man was more stubborn than their yak-driven beasts and slower, too. Adu backtracked to witness the Spherical knocking down an edge of the skyscraper where the child was, and the release of the paralyzing gas, and an operative firing on them.

With mask on, Adu ensured that one of the guards who had an extra mask cover him while they rallied against the last operative. Apparently this operative must have withheld taking the poison, seeing the job was not complete. _Frelling idiot_, thought Adu. The Peacekeeper could have fled. Ducking from the fire, Adu was relieved to see the Regent's guard had a good aim. From Adu's peripheral vision, the operative was shot and fell to the ground. Adu now sprinted as fast as he could toward John and the child. Unfortunately for the rescue, it was harder to maintain balance now that the Spherical was causing quakes that worsened.

"Get the girl! Take her down NOW!"" Adu yelled the other guard who took the child and sprinted the best he could, while the ground intermittently quaked. "Give me a mask, quick!" Adu took it and covered John's mouth with it. "Silly human." Adu waved to the same guard. "Give him the nerve boost here, HERE!" Adu pointed anxiously at the vein in John's neck. He knew the blast hadn't directly hit John and hoped the nerve boost would be enough to bring him around. 

The frelling human's face was still as stone. Adu had no time to waste. He slapped John again. "Wake up!"

"Captain," the guard queried. "We must go now. Any later we will not have access to the ports. Everything is falling around us. Sir?" It seemed the ground would swallow them, but they had a mission. And this was the last comment Adu could handle.

Adu flashed an angry look at the guard, whose breathing subsequently became erratic. "Aiyee!" Adu hissed. "Frell you, Guardsman Leeontu! I can see that. But we can't let him die. Go wait for us at the port."

Adu slapped John's face again. _Fragile human. We will all die here_, thought Adu. However, even his cheeks were turning red from Adu's rounds of slaps, which Adu took as a good sign.

"You, brother man, are FOOLISH," Adu yelled into John's ear above the breaking of stone and ground, "hardheaded, stiff-necked! To risk our lives. WAKE UP!" He gave John one more slap. John wouldn't budge. "You are a frelling idiot, and I wouldn't have you any other way." He slung John over his shoulder and ran into the port before the building toppled over.

One last look. Adu turned and saw the Spherical's cups extend more. While revolving, the Spherical caused a sucking current. Pulverized cement, stone, and ground created a black plume of dust rising above the ruins. _Catastrophic!_ It was beautiful and evil...black dust with a sphere spinning in the middle and fallen operatives collapsed in its wake. Adu turned quickly and entered the sub-mobile with the guard to escape the horror.

__

The Spherical is no longer vulnerable. 

***

"We're not gonna make it," John mumbled. At first he couldn't remember where he was, but then he realized he was back in the lab. But it was dark, so dark. John found himself lying on his side and still felt inflamed all over. There was a slight tremor and emergency lights struggled back on.

"Here take this." Yeah, it was Adu's friendly face, blurry, but friendly. John felt the guy cup his chin so he could sip some awful drink.

"What the frell is this mess?" John pushed away the rest of the drink.

"Water and Fellip urine," Adu said, casually. "Takes away the pain. You know we almost lost you, brother man."

"Well, my Jamaican brother, you should've left me dead. I would've been a happy camper." John winced as he lifted himself up to sit against the wall. He let out a dry laugh. "Yep, the universe would've been better off without me."

"Shut up! You and your dren, brother man, is about to..." Adu kept rattling, but John couldn't hear him.

John shut his eyes and closed out the conversation. His head was constantly whirring now. An electrical buzzing in his head that he not only heard but felt kept nagging him. And the tremors within the lab weren't helping his concentration, nor were the flickering emergency lights. "Oh God, we're not gonna make it." He sighed. "I screwed it up, didn't I?"

Adu sat beside John's shoulder to anchor him from falling. They were in a quieter part of the lab adjacent to the small corridor that led into office of the late Palimous, Jughead, who started it all by frelling with Sebaceans. Sitting at the door frame of the supply room, John sensed Adu turning toward him in the darkness. 

"Ahhh, Commander John Crichton," Adu said, his eyes kept on John's. "The universe does not revolve around you."

John sat up. Suddenly, the whirring abated. "The Hezmana it does! If you went through what I have, you'd say the same thing."

"Perhaps you're right. I remember some of our ancient elders and priests speak of a wormhole walker that would preserve the galaxy and encounter the woes of others. Nearly five hundred cycles ago this was prophesied. I remembered that prophesy when Officer Sun spoke of you and who you were. It was good because you became the link to help the investigation." Adu laughed, "You should have seen Commandant Grayza's face when I mentioned you. The female trel--"

Before Adu could finish the word, John grabbed him by the throat and straddled him. "You almost had Aeryn, me, and the BABY killed!" Now John had both hands around Adu's throat. "I could kill you. Right here! Right now!"

The lab started to quake more, each tremor growing stronger. It thrust the two men together, muscle against muscle, bone against bone. Adu's mocha skin contrasted sharply from the fallen dust and mortar seeping through the walls and ceiling. John saw Adu's muscles bulge as he tightened the chokehold. Yet no fear was in the warrior's eyes as the nauseous pounding continued. They bumped into the walls and John never lightened his grip. 

But for John, the fortified walls of trust, patience, and control fell. And it was this abhorrent truth that spurred more strength into his stranglehold until the quaking lurched them apart. John quickly grabbed Winona and aimed.

"I knew it. You're a freakin' spy." John stood up and hissed while drawing in his breath. "You know at this point, I was expecting a nice vacation with Aeryn on a beach. Maybe we're frelling around in our own condo, Porsche, Ferrari, yacht with all the amenities." He waved the muzzle. "You and Grayza kind of interrupted those plans."

"My brother man, you seem to be quick at the temper." John saw Adu step away. Then John's heart sank. His plans always frelled up. Adu waved Winona's cartridge in front of him. _Okay...how did Adu get the cartridge out of my gun?_ When? He was knocked out of the game when the freakin' bowling ball and an operative got him and the kid. Probably Adu stole it when he was the most vulnerable...unconscious and dead to the world.

John, realizing he was defenseless, cocked his head. "Well, I wasn't always this way."

Adu grinned and shook his burnt locks. "No?"

"Hey, you screwed over me and Aeryn. What do you expect?"

"Aaaaahhh, I expect for you to listen to a fellow warrior and scientist before you jump. That is why took your cartridge in the sub-mobile. I've examined your behavior, brother man. And you're not one to reckon lightly with. I needed to tell you everything as I am doing now. You should trust me." 

Adu waved the cartridge at John and forced his tone, as if John was a child hard of hearing. "Grayza would have targeted this planet anyway. She needed this weapon for her use. Your beloved Aeryn would have died, along with billions of others if I had not intervened. If your name weren't mentioned, I wouldn't have discovered Grayza's scheme. After contacting you, Our Regent and I had expected you to whisk away the Command Carrier with your wormhole. But, alas, things did not work that way. Did they, brother man?"

"No."

Adu came closer to John, nose to nose, and proffered the cartridge. John still locking eyes with the warrior took the cartridge and instinctively slammed it up the pistol's handle without looking.

John shifted his stance, scratched his head. He needed to search for the child he had wrapped in his coat.

"Okay. One question. Where's the girl?" John's lip tightened. He would settle this issue later with Adu, if there was a later. But right now, he wondered if Rea'Lan had survived the fall.

***

They were safe in the underground lab, well, hypothetically. A person could have an epileptic seizure the way the emergency lights flashed on and off. John rubbed his forehead with his palm. The lab was falling apart from the Spherical's bombardment, and he had just received bad news. The pole they had attached to the lab was coming apart, and they had no way of fixing it. 

John had checked on Rea'Lan; she was okay, still breathing and slept soundly with the leather cover. The other recovering Sebaceans reached out to him as he checked some that were uncovered and demanded blankets, or at least towels to cover their nakedness, even if it was hot inside. It was relief in their eyes that shined when he demanded water for some that were crying of thirst. Irony seemed to play a major role here. To help them felt really good, felt good that they needed him even with doom overshadowing them. And John was glad to yell for water and blankets, and to turn some of the helpless Sebaceans over in a more comfortable position. He knew each life was of great value to their families. And just about a solar day ago, these people were the living dead. John hoped this struggle would end in a royal flush if he played his cards right. Otherwise...he couldn't think of it.

It was hardly a quarter of an arn when things became worse. They were in the dark with emergency lights freaking him. One good thing, all the communications were opened, the image field and monitors were still up and running. One bad thing, the monitor displayed the doomsday machine in all its glory while it crashed through the different geological layers of Yontur, heading to the tunnels littered with stalactite and stalagmite.

John made his way to the image field. He had to check in and see how everyone was doing. Home was calling him, and that was where he wanted to be. To see anyone from _Moya_ to appear on the image field became a need; a familiar voice, face, or just plain anyone would calm his nerves. He had to see their faces and he had to have an update on how everyone was, especially Aeryn. His heart pounded in his chest as he cried out to them.

"Hey, anybody home? What's up? Pilot?"

"Commander," Pilot said, his shelled head appeared in the image field. John laughed. Hearing Pilot answer was the sugar in his coffee. The navigator's voice couldn't sound better. 

"Hey, how's it going over there?" John asked, smiling nervously.

"D'Argo, Chiana, and the others are preoccupied with Officer Sun."

"What?" John felt his heart lurch.

"She is attempting to leave in her Prowler at this moment."

"Get her to command, Pilot. Right now! Tell her anything. No, nothing. She can't come down. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, Commander, right away."

The intermittent pounding grew louder. It didn't matter because it blended in with his heart and his head. John paced, raking his fingers through his hair, nails cutting into his scalp. _No! She can't do this. She can't do this. _He kept pacing, automatically stepping over the people littering the floor.

The pounding persisted. He felt a wave was taking him under. He could sense the ticking ... ticking ... ticking inside his brain. It was coming. Soon. Detonation. He looked at the monitors and that big black ugly thing taking him away from her. It spun and crashed through the ground of Yontur. Lifting himself out of his misery, John glanced back at the image field and saw D'Argo first, then Aeryn and Chiana.

"Guys, stay where you are. I need you right there to monitor things along with Pilot. Understand?" John searched for Aeryn's reaction. She appeared flustered and kept turning her head as if watching for someone to come in on them. "Aeryn, baby, haven't heard from you. Are you okay?" 

"John, we've been hearing everything. And I think it's about time for me to come down and help."

John spread his arms. "Hey, you've missed all the wild action. There's nothing going on down here now."

"The frell there is. I'm coming down." Her voice was hard and cold, ready for battle. This was one of the times he didn't approve of her Peacekeeper mode. Aeryn smacked her palm on the console and turned to leave.

"WAIT!" John hollered at the image field. Aeryn hesitated, and John was relieved to see D'Argo grab Aeryn by her arm gently but firmly.

"Maybe you should listen," D'Argo said, his voice deep, soft, wavering at the end. John braced himself, hoping Aeryn wouldn't detect anything from D'Argo's anxious tone.

Chiana, from behind D'Argo and Aeryn, twisted in her unusual stance. "Maybe you ought to listen to him, Aeryn. He's not a fekkik."

Aeryn's gaze traveled from D'Argo's earnest face to Chiana's tearful one. Setting her jaw, Aeryn shook off D'Argo's hand and turned back to the monitor.

"Okay," Aeryn nodded. "John, what do you have to say before I leave? Because I _am_ coming down to help you." 

John shook his head. _Frell. How do I tell her there's no way to reach the lab, no way to reach me? Nothing she can do but stay there and watch this planet come apart—_

Nothing she can do but lose me again.

"John? John, what is it? What are you not telling me—"

"Commander, check your monitors." Pilot cut in abruptly. "I believe you'll want to know what is happening to the Spherical." Turning, John noticed that the doomsday machine was changing colors, from ebony to ruby red. 

"Commander!" Pilot yelled this time. Not good. "The Spherical, it is gaining mass!"

"Oh, God!" John's voice caught. It was dark, he was like a fly caught in ointment, stuck, helpless, and unable to end this horror. John noticed on another monitor that displayed the pole from the outside that was attached to the lab. It appeared three Sebaceans in casual civilian dress were outside holding the pole down. _Are these guys insane! What the..._

"Regent, Adu!" John yelled, ignoring Pilot's warning. "We've got to get those men in here!"

Adu hopped over bodies to where John was standing. "Where!"

"There!" John pointed to the monitor with the three men. "See 'em. Crazy, fahrbots. All the help in the world won't do any good. We're doomed."

Adu peered, "I don't see anyone. Regent?" The Regent nervously negated also.

Shocked and overwhelmed, John hoped he wasn't seeing things because of stress. Then he remembered when he had been aboard _Moya_ thinking and blind to a solution to all this madness. And now his petition came back to him in an answer clear as crystal. The memory came, there when he had whispered to the stars on the terrace: _If God had any angels on this side of the universe, he needed them now. "Open my eyes." _

"Commander!" Pilot screamed again. "The Spherical is at CRITICAL MASS!"

Pilot's warning jumpstarted John out of his reverie. The monitor to his right displayed the Spherical about a metra away beneath the planet where the mineral formations that had made up the CL3 was prolific. It pulsed, turning scarlet. But at the circumference, the scarlet graduated from orange to gold. 

"Everybody!" John barked the commands. "Change the signature to shielding NOW!" He could tell the change in power shift or whatever that was left of it. But it worked!

__

SNAP! ...Time was wound up...

John quickly turned and slapped both hands on the console.

"Pilot! STARBURST! NOW!" he yelled into the image field.


	10. Reflections

****

Chapter 10 - Reflections

He was a frelling idiot. Delusional. Insane. A pain in the eema. He was John Crichton! 

__

A drannit! That's what he is, Aeryn thought, as she fumed and strode out of the command center to bring him back. That's what she had attempted to do on Yontur until everything went...how did Crichton say it...pear shaped? But D'Argo grabbed her forearm and insisted she come, only to witness a madman saving a world.

Chiana was anxious, too, appearing jittery. The Nebari squeezed D'Argo's hand as Aeryn watched the clamshell, seeing the disturbing events play before their eyes. 

__

Frell! Why couldn't he change, become safe for her to have? Why did he have to prove himself, justifying his conscience by risking his life? From the apparently extensive planning that had gone into Adu's investigation, Aeryn was convinced that Grayza had preplanned this obliteration long before John arrived. Even John's knowledge of the wormholes didn't surpass the CL3 because she already had a powerful weapon at hand. John was only a means for gaining more power. Why didn't he understand he attracted trouble, and that was what frelled his plans every time. But she knew, from cycles of bad plans and one ultimate sacrifice, that being the savior of the hopeless was an integral part of John Crichton. 

__

Frell him dead. Instantly, remembering still blue eyes and a cooling body, she regretted the thought had crossed her mind, and allowed the persistent hold of D'Argo guide her back to the command center. She allowed it because of her deep trust of John and his need for her and the crew. She put aside her own instincts, her own internal panic, swallowing the memories from Dam Ba Da that threatened to overwhelm her.

She listened this time more tensely, seeing the havoc play before her eyes on the clamshell. For many arns, she had been able to hear the calamity over the comms and the progress of John. And during the near death incidents, the fight with the operatives, Aeryn had remained restless, tense, ready to join him on Yontur when he called. Now, it was obvious that he needed her, but the drannit would not admit it. Again, he was trying to play the hero, and she was too far away to save him.

And the boyish fear played in his eyes. He might not know it, but she saw his eyes flutter, and she listened to the tremor in his voice as she stood with D'Argo and Chiana...

"Guys, stay where you are. I need you right there to monitor things along with Pilot. Understand?" John said. 

Aeryn could see through his ploy from his sharp intakes of breath and drawn out words. She suspected from past incidences with John that he was attempting to mislead them. He probably didn't want her to come down only to keep her safe. Yeah, foolish human. 

She saw the darkness and intermittent lights flash on and off. The lab seemed to be shaking, walls buckling, and bodies were littered everywhere. No more time was left for them. Aeryn gasped and turned to leave. She needed to go. Several times she glanced toward the door, readying herself to sprint out, but couldn't when she heard his voice again. She inhaled, and settled herself to listen for one more microt. 

__

Just one microt and I will be with you. To protect and help you.

"Aeryn, baby, haven't heard from you. Are you okay?" John asked. 

Was she okay? What sort of question was that? She shook her head. He was desperate, the veins in his neck pulsed, his face flushed, and his body appeared beaten, bruises showed on his face and his T-shirt, tattered at the collar and sleeves. All his body signs and even the lab's corruption there proved the stress he was bearing was overwhelming. Her Sebacean heart palpated hard, telling her to go, now. _Don't listen to him. Go now._ But she gathered herself and spoke to appease him, needing his acquiesce.

"John, we've been hearing everything. And I think it's about time for me to come down and help."

John spread his arms. "Hey, you've missed all the wild action. There's nothing going on down here now."

"The frell there is. I'm coming down." His humanly incapacitated ways always assumed she didn't understand the situation at hand because he's trying to lie to her and wasn't good at it. And, as an officer and a tactician, she did completely. She understood while he was aboard _Moya_ with her, he had promised he would call her down. He hadn't, and the situation was much worse now. _Frell him!_ Aeryn smacked her palm on the console and turned to leave.

"WAIT!" John hollered at the image field. Aeryn hesitated, caught by the desperation in his voice, and D'Argo grabbed Aeryn again by her arm, gently but firmly. Narrowing her eyes, she shot a frigid glare at him, but he was unmoved. Her Luxan friend didn't, couldn't, understand, either.

"Maybe you should listen," D'Argo said, his voice deep, soft, wavering at the end. 

Chiana, from behind D'Argo and Aeryn, twisted in her usual stance. "Maybe you ought to listen to him, Aeryn. He's not a fekkik."

Aeryn's gaze traveled from D'Argo's earnest face to Chiana's tearful one. Setting her jaw, Aeryn shook off D'Argo's hand and turned back to the monitor. It was time to settle this with John.

"Okay," Aeryn nodded. "John, what do you have to say before I leave? Because I am coming down to help you." 

John was hiding something. His eyes betrayed him, sad, worried, dark. And her stomach dove and her fears grew.

"John? John, what is it? What are you not telling me—"

"Commander, check your monitors." Pilot cut in abruptly. "I believe you'll want to know what is happening to the Spherical." 

She didn't know how long she was transfixed seeing death approach, seeing him destined to die, the shadows overtaking him again right before her eyes. She stood until she heard John's command...

"Pilot! STARBURST! NOW!" he yelled into the image field.

Still unable to move, she heard D'Argo yell, "PILOT! STARBURST IMMEDIATELY!"

It was too late to get to her Prowler from command, but she would not be overruled. She had to join John. She had to save him this time. 

"Pilot! NEGATE THAT COMMAND!" she yelled immediately, as D'Argo's command echoed first in her ears, then her own. Before her, the image field wildly flashed white, and John's image was gone, the clamshell abruptly empty. Gasping, she spun and took one shaky step toward the door, determined to get to him somehow. 

Suddenly, within the carapace of _Moya_, she felt the thrust throw her into D'Argo, then Chiana. Knocked from their feet, they slammed forward into the consoles and then backwards as Starburst blossomed, taking them to safety. Distantly, caught in the numb space between emotions she never wanted to have, she felt pain rip through the wound in her side. Starburst ebbed, _Moya_ settling into normal space, even as the numbness within her began to fade. She found herself sprawled limply on the deck. And the floor was cold, unsupportive. Her legs had no strength; she could only roll to her knees and tremble. 

__

He promised me! She felt the burning, unwanted tears, stream down to splash on _Moya_.

"Noooooooo!" Aeryn cried, on her hands and knees. She brought her hand to her belly where their child lay safely. And she moaned, empty, alone, head to _Moya_'s floor, her long dark hair falling to screen the grief twisting her face. Pain reached her heart as she moaned and could feel the gray arms of the Nebari around her and the Nebari's gray tears wash on her collar.

***

Alone. In her bed, shadows receded from flickers of a light. _John?_ No John. Just waking, she had been viewing the chip for the tenth time and had fallen asleep from weariness. No warmth, but the life growing in her. She rubbed her flat stomach. She would always treasure his sweet moments, tender and irritatingly emotional. Aeryn's fingers trembled, playing with the edge of bandage on her wound--the wound that had kept her from him, kept her from saving him. _But you promised._ She placed the bottom of her vest back over it and lay still in her bed. The chip's image played against the golden wall. His face, smiling. How could he smile? Insane, that's what he was. They flowed again, tears, frelling things. Tears, and John Crichton, seemed to go together more times than not. Messy tears, she wouldn't be able to see John through them. With her hands, she finally wiped them from her face onto her leather pants and tried to focus on his face.

"Hey, babe. I don't know how to say this." His image shone through _Moya_'s transmission of the chip D'Argo gave her. The DRD steadily held its position projecting the image all along. Aeryn propped herself up, drinking in his image like water.

"It's sort of a backup plan...you know, fail safe for you and our baby. That's why _Moya_ Starburst." 

Thoughtfully, Aeryn shifted. He couldn't know the child was actually his. It could've been the other John's, his other self. She grunted as her eyebrows lifted, crinkling her forehead. 

__

What did John call it? Schizoid? She laughed softly at that thought.

She replied to John's voice. "Well, look what you did. D'Argo and Noranti treated me as if I were a stupid grunt who couldn't hold her own pulse pistol," she said, flipping up the edge of her vest again to look down at her newly bandaged wound that had opened from Starburst just arns ago. 

A small wry smile trembled on her lips as she looked up again at his image. It felt as if she were there with John as he recorded this, there sitting in his lap while he grinned quirkily. "You always frell things up, John Crichton."

"I love you...would do anything for both of you. If you're watching this, then the inevitable has already happened. Big kick in the pants...eh." He bobbed his head, and smiled tightly. 

__

Oh. Aeryn caught herself, trying to swallow her emotions, her hand pressed against her chest, and nodded her head in cue with his. 

__

Oh the pain. Pain at parting, done so often, and yet more intense each time.

And she remembered when John took her hands to intertwine right before she was leaving with Crais aboard Taylon. The tenderness in his eyes shown then and his smile, confident, secure...

**__**

"Last time we stood here, we didn't say good-bye."

"And it wasn't good-bye, as it turned out."

"Here's hoping history repeats itself."

And it had. Then.

"Can't help it. Guess fate grinds us in the ground. Literally. Hey, I just want my kid to remember me, Aeryn. Okay?"

She smiled and remembered when John was with her in her room before he departed for Yontur...

**__**

"John?"

"Yeah?" His voice was muffled, while speaking into her stomach.

"Why are you doing this, your mouth on my stomach?"

"An Earth tradition. We're communicating to our baby. If he's got ears like yours, then he'll hear us."

She softly whispered into his ears, "You better not die, or I'll kill you myself." 

Rubbing her stomach, she looked down and spoke to her unborn child within her womb, mimicking what John would have done. 

"If you're anything like your father, then we're both bound for trouble. We'll have to hide you in the neural cluster to keep you from your father's enemies. Hah, I'm mistaken. Having his DNA, you'll probably have a whole new squadron of enemies for you to play with." She chuckled, throat tight with held-back tears. "That's all right...we're family here. We know how to handle calamities."

And her emotions played along with the chip. She listened to him talk to his unborn child.

"Hi, little bud. Want you to know that your dad was an astronaut, until I ended up here. Ask your mom, she'll tell ya. I'm the cowboy of the _Universe_! Hah! Whaduya think of _that_?" 

He's head did that unusual human jerk motion to add more fuel to his words. _Forever the showoff._ Aeryn chucked. Then she heard a loud smacking noise. _Probably slapped his knee. He would do that._

The recording continued. "I've got to cut off, don't have much time. But, kiddo, you've got a heritage to fulfill. And from the looks of things, you'll do well." 

His eyes shined, sparkled with pride. Aeryn marveled at how John could speak and feel so much for something intangible, unborn. 

"Your granddad was a hero. He loved me. I wish he could've been there for you like my dad was for me. I wish I could've been the dad you need there beside you, but this is the best I can do." 

__

So, Aeryn mused, _you've been crying, too_. 

She saw him wiping his eyes with his hands and playing it off by laughing. Then his voice softened. "Don't worry 'bout me." He cocked his head. "Just a little tired, that's all. Aeryn and I, we've had a heck of a time out here. Wouldn't trade it for the world. And...and I want you to take care of your mommy, okay?..." His voice trailed away. There was a long pause as if he were struggling for words, then... "Love you both." He shook his head and the recording abruptly ended. The chip was her bittersweet joy.

John's abandonment, even though it was out of self-sacrifice for her and the others cut her so deeply. She had never known what being loved meant until he had come along. And now she was so ignorant of things so simple, such as raising a child. She was alone. Devastated. The dream of having a father for her child had been wrenched from her, and now she was left on _Moya_, haunted by memories. 

Suddenly, out of her pain and panic, her decision was made clear. As soon as she could, she would leave and join another mercenary unit to do what she had been bred to do. She could not combat the piercing echoes of his presence within _Moya_, even though her small circle of family was aboard this wondrous prison ship. _Prison ship_ it still was, this time making her a prisoner of emotions, of memories, of fate 

But first, there was one thing she had to do for John Crichton. And for herself.

Moments later, Aeryn's comm crackled on, letting her know someone was contacting her.

"Officer Sun?" Pilot said, his voice soft, hesitant as if wary to disturb her. 

"Yes, Pilot?" Aeryn rose from her bed, automatically settling into the erect carriage of her Peacekeeper heritage.

"D'Argo is requesting everyone to meet him in the command center."

"Pilot, would you please let D'Argo know I want to meet with him first before everyone is notified?"

"Yes. Officer Sun..." Pilot voice caught and Aeryn waited for him to say something.

"Pilot, is there anything else?"

"I don't mean to intrude, but _Moya_ and I were wondering if you were all right?" 

The navigator of the stars had a special bond with her and she with him, allowing him to be more forward with her than the rest of the crew. It was his DNA she shared that, at first, was a nightmare but now a gift. She smiled and caressed one of _Moya_'s ribs.

"Trust me, Pilot, I'm fine." She felt the soft tremors of _Moya_ through her ribs, acknowledging Aeryn's fair condition. With a soft pat, Aeryn gave silent thanks to the living ship.

***

"I've found the chip," D'Argo said. He seemed to be anxious to share with everyone the chip he had in his hand. He bashfully lowered his head. "It was missing. One of the DRDs had put it in my room. I didn't know it was there." He sheepishly smiled.

"I'm happy for you," Aeryn said, sarcastically. "I have a few words to have with you."

D'Argo squinted his eyes, almost buried by the plates of his huge brow. "I thought you would be interested in this. It's very important."

"Yes, D'Argo, I am, but I have something I need to share with you right now before everyone else gets here." Her voice was taut, its softness at odds with the steel in her eyes.

D'Argo sighed, his massive chest releasing the air, and then shook his head. His deep voice rumbled and wavered. "It can't be about--"

Aeryn interrupted. "Let me guess for you. Starburst immediately? D'Argo, I can't believe you negated my command like that! You knew all along I had to get John." She shook her head, beginning to tremble at the horror of what had happened, and fought to maintain her calm.

"I...I'm sorry, Aeryn. I had to." This one time his huge frame belied its structure, seeming to buckle beneath her fury. Inhaling and exhaling, he bellowed air out. _Frelling Luxans can't even breathe quietly._

"What, D'Argo?" She shook her head waiting for an answer. "What?"

His voice always boomed when under stress. Instead, she realized he was venting air to appease his conscience. She wondered why he seemed guilt-ridden. She prepared herself for the worst explanation from her warrior companion now turned traitor.

"John only wanted to protect you and the child. He had that right, Aeryn." 

Aeryn said nothing, soaking in the new information. She shook her head, dismissing it. _What about my right, my right to protect him from himself? _

"You betrayed me, D'Argo. You know how he is..." she paused, steadying her voice, "...was. You know he makes dren out of his plans."

"Aeryn, I'm sorry. I care about him, too."

"Don't patronize me," she hissed, jaw set hard, and, then turned to the forward portal. The stars were still hanging in space, empty, devoid of life for her. "And don't negate this command because we're turning back, and we're searching for John. And whether we find him dead or alive, I'm leaving this place." She stood rigid, sick to her stomach at the betrayal of one of her closest friends.

"It would be dangerous and the others--" 

Once again, Aeryn interrupted D'Argo. "No, don't tell me about the others. I know what you're about to say. They have to agree, too. Right?" D'Argo nodded. "Well, I didn't see them agree to Starburst."

"That's not the same thing, and it was John's doing."

"Right. Well, this is my doing. Pilot!" Aeryn marched to the clamshell, as if his appearance would resolve the matter. But D'Argo caught her wrist and restrained her. If they weren't family, Aeryn would have blasted him with her pulse pistol. But he was still family, though a traitor.

"No, Aeryn. Don't," D'Argo said, gripped her wrist, and she felt him forcefully turn her to him. Aeryn yanked her arm out of his strong grasp.

"D'Argo, unlike you, I believe he's alive. And I want to be sure, so we're turning back. Pilot has enough navigational information in this part of space to position us and track our way back. Understand?"

D'Argo sighed. "It's dangerous. We don't know how much radiation and rubble from the planets could affect _Moya_." 

"You should have thought about that before you yelled Starburst."

"Aeryn, you can't blame anyone. You wouldn't have made it down there anyway. You can't make a decision until everyone has viewed this chip. Wait. Okay?"

Acquiescing, she crossed her arms tightly and nodded, lips stiff, the muscles in her jaw knotted. A few microts would not change her decision. Frell, if she had to, she would have Pilot plot a course for her and travel the distance herself in her Prowler.

***

They gathered around to view the chip of their lost friend and member of their quaint family. They waited with baited breath, hearing the musing of a human who had touched them despite their misgivings. In spite of it all, they loved him, that simple man who had struggled against the universe, and finally lost, never finding a way home. Perhaps he made it, finally to the place humans go...heaven? 

There was a stark contrast between her chip and this one made for them. He was healthier in hers, probably had been done when he was here on _Moya_ with her. In this one, he appeared to be on Yontur in the lab. His face was streaked with dust, mortar, and a film of some dark soot. Unable to look at him, Aeryn rubbed her face with both hands, willing back the tears. She hated seeing him in that condition, drawn, filthy, stricken with fatigue, barely existing. The way his strong shoulders slumped--defeated--caught Aeryn's heart and made her grieve silently even more. It must've been near the end.

"Hey, guys. Whassup! Looks like things are getting pretty hairy out here. You couldn't clear the place with a weed whacker." His torn laugh was brittle, a shadow of his warm, resonant chuckle. "I know it looks pretty bad, but things will start lookin' up. You might think me fahrbot, but the shields will work...if they hold--" His voice trailed away and he looked around nervously. "Things are about to go. Thanks to Pilot and _Moya_, I've been able to update this chip." That wry grin flashed wearily, and Aeryn's stomach lurched again. "Hey, D'Argo, just in case you're wondering what happened to the chip. _Moya_ had 1812 get it for me to record over it." The lights flashed within the lab, and the recorded image shook from the tremors. "I need you to come back. To rendezvous with me at the third planet, whatever its name is. The one that's farthest out in this region. Don't forget me, guys. I'm counting on you."

Chiana leaped up with her arms extended in the air, her joyful scream splitting the air. "I knew it! Hah, he's not a fekkik after all."

"Well," Rygel said, hovering in his sled throne, "Yotz! It seems we can never be rid of that human. He always turns up like a bad Cretmar."

His words were in sharp contrast to the wide grin on his face—a contrast that Aeryn was beyond noticing as she hit the Hynerian upside his head. "Shut up, Slug." Something lifted within her and felt as light as Rygel's sled. She kept her controlled demeanor, head lifted, chin up, and chest out. She was trained to maintain structure and focus, to strategize and overcome, and that training had served her well yet again. _My instinct to turn back is right._ John had done well and survived; she knew it, could feel it with each beat of her cautiously hopeful heart. _Hope. What has that human done to me?_

"How long do you estimate our arrival, D'Argo?" Noranti asked. "I want to have my best stew prepared."

"Pilot?" D'Argo answered in response to Noranti's question.

The clamshell came to life and graced them with their pilot. They turned to the servicer with the much anticipated news.

"Two weekens," the navigator said. "I'm setting course now." 

And _Moya_ proceeded toward what was left of Yontur.

***

__

Two weekens? More like two cycles. Aeryn stood ready with her pulse pistol aimed at the opening door of the hangar bay, slinging her hair out of her eyes. In the Uncharted Territories, when two crafts didn't identify themselves, there would be firepower to pay. After all, they had to protect themselves. Their only means of defense, other than _Moya_'s Starburst, was their personal weapons.

They stood, D'Argo posing next to her in his warrior stance with Qualta Blade aimed to fire. Chiana stood by his side with a pulse rifle gripped in her slender but steady hands. Rygel held a small pistol, appearing just a menacing as the rest of them. Always happy to help, Noranti stood with a fistful of knockout dust. With crossed arms, not interested in being armed, Sikozu stood a bit apart from the others. _She probably thinks she's above carrying weapons. The fiery-haired trelk would learn soon enough._

Wryly, Aeryn realized they weren't an especially impressive squad to face down intruders. They certainly were nothing like the well-organized team she had recently served with. _But looks can be so deceiving_, she thought, gazing at the wreck of the two ship that _Moya_'s docking web had pulled into the Leviathan. They were John's module and Adu's _Delta_. It was so damaged that Aeryn had doubted the veracity of Pilot's readings of life signs aboard since no one had answered their comms.

After lighting down from the damaged module, he came strutting in through the opened door of the hangar bay, slowly with his arms raised in surrender that took her breath away. His cocky grin lit up his worn face, and she suddenly couldn't breathe, her hands trembling on her pulse pistol as hope flooded her. But he could be an alien. She kept her weapon aimed, tense with heart speeding faster than her prowler. And then behind him appeared Adu with arms up in surrender, too.

"Well, dang! It's good to be back home. It's me, guys! Yontur, Adu, and me. Come on and say, Hi!" He laughed with hands waving in the air, and the weapons finally lowered, smiles flashing all around. Then Chiana leaped into his arms, and Aeryn rolled her eyes, fighting a smile at the girl's exuberance. 

"It's been so long, you fekkik! You scared the dren out of us," Chiana said, after he put her down. She chuckled and swayed, her hands still gripping his arms.

"Well, I missed you, too, Pip." He smiled and gently touched the Nebari's face. The lights in his eyes danced when he glanced over at Aeryn. 

Aeryn made herself hold back, fighting the urge to follow Chiana's example. John always caused her foundation to sway. Even with the loss of weight and filth that covered all of him, he still had that effect on her. His scent, even from motras away--dirt, sweat, and the musk of a male caused her to flush. She shook her head, trying to level her senses, to maintain her eroding control.

It was painful for Aeryn to stand back and watch John's enthusiasm to be back, handshaking and sharing a masculine hug with D'Argo, ruffling Rygel's earbrows, waving to Sikozu, smacking a kiss on Noranti's wrinkled cheek. He appeared as the naive John of the first cycle. _He hasn't learned a frelling thing about taking risks and paying the cost. He thinks everything's fine because he's dodged death again. How many more times, John? How many more before... _

Closing her eyes, she reached for her waning strength and steadied her resolve. She knew whatever joy he was experiencing now would be soon over. 

Adu came forward in front of the crew to stand by John and nodded. "If you hadn't returned for us, I think we would have become space dust. Isn't that right, brother man?"

John laughed. "Corny, but right. Turned out we ran out of fuel real quick. He escorted me to make sure I got here okay. Yep," John threw his arm around the teal uniformed warrior. "Adu saved my butt too many times. So we're among the Jerry Springer family." He took his arm from around Adu and approached Noranti. "Where's the food? I'm starved. I could eat a horse."

Noranti squinted her three eyes at him, "I'm the only one allowed not to bathe, keeps the juices flowing. You, Commander, have no juices...you smell."

"Hey, can I have just a Twinkie?" Her third eye opened with a purple hue. "Okay, how 'bout a beef jerky?" She shook her head, nose wrinkling, and backed up a couple steps.

"Clam chowder cream stew with spider relish. And it will be delicious." She rubbed her hands and with wrinkles decorating her face, she smiled. "Give me a couple of arns. Yes, everyone will love this. It's my specialty. You'll see." On that high note, Noranti happily headed toward the kitchen. Everyone followed her, especially Rygel whirring on his sled throne without a word. 

Everyone except Aeryn, John, and Adu, they lagged behind.

***

It was a golden treasure being back from the nightmare that haunted him. He felt the floating sensation that never ceased to astound him; the feeling that meant he was home. _Moya_, he was back. And when he saw Aeryn, he felt as if he were swaying, but not from fatigue, not from hunger. It was her this time causing the storm to rise in him, his heart to ascend and descend with each look she gave him, the tightness of her posture betraying her fragile control. 

__

My equilibrium is off again. 

That's how he felt...at that moment when he stepped through the bay opening and saw her ready to shoot, her hair flowing back. After all the sadness on Yontur, the mere sight of her made his heart glad. Heck, he felt so good, he could even eat Noranti's chow now. 

But when they lagged behind, Aeryn stopped and turned to him. Adu stopped in synch with John. Her eyes blinked a little more than usual, and her jaw was working, but her face had that chiseled, set look again. _Uh-oh, the Peacekeeper is back. Things are heading south._ John's fears began to mount when she stiffened her shoulders, chin tilting up, determination in every line of her body. _Not now. I can't bear any more bad news._ But John didn't know how far south things would go until she opened her mouth and blurted out her new plans.

"After we return to Yontur, and Adu refuels to return, I'm going back with him." Her chin was set and her eyes hard. She had knocked the wind out of him. All John could do was gape, arms hanging, just staring at her, as the light splintered in his eyes and his hope shattered around him.

Aeryn shook her head, a quick jerk. "John, I have to go back. I have things to finish. I never said I would stay on _Moya_." 

He sucked in a breath. "You can't mean this." His tone was sharp, his words clipped.

She continued as if nothing had happened between them, no history of love, speaking in that matter-of-fact tone. "I'm rejoining the unit down there, if it's still in operation. I just need to get away, sort things out."

His mind turned in on itself, even as his soul ripped apart. Rubbing his face hard, he then pressed his palm against his forehead. "You think you're soooo close to the shore. You've got just one more lousy nautical mile to go. And then all the oars are snatched from from your hands, and there's a hole in the frelling boat. Titanic?" His wry smile appeared and then he laughed, dryly, humorlessly. "Doesn't have nothing on this."

Shaking his head, he pointed to Adu first. "SCREW YOU!" Then he snapped at Aeryn, "and...SCREW YOU!" He left, burning inside, to protect them from his anger. He didn't know what he would do next.

He stalked away, barely noticing Chiana heading back their way. She slammed into him. He retreated somewhere to the point of not caring if a wall slammed into him. 

"Hey!" Chiana yelled. "Watch where you're going."

And he kept walking, on automatic pilot, down the corridors. No destination in mind, just the whirring anger in his head, the darkness pushing him, taunting him.

He didn't hear her approach, didn't sense her until her slender hand caught his arm, the gentleness of her grip making him stumble blindly to a stop

"Is it true? Aeryn's leaving?" Chiana asked, her tender eyes pleading, caring.

John opened his mouth to say, _Yeah, it's true_, but it never came out. He had no more to give. Pip, his gray Nebari girl, took his fingers and intertwined them with hers. 

"That trelk. If she only knew what she's doing to you." Chiana looked at him with her dark pools swirling with tears. "She needs her eema kicked," she said fiercely.

John squeezed her hands and put them to his chest. They were family, no harm should ever come to family. He shook his head, "No, don't. It's not worth it." Then he let her hands go and left for his quarters to shower. He smelled like a dead rat and the grime was chafing his skin.

***

Aeryn stood there, stunned at his reaction. That is just what she didn't need. His dren. His self-centered dren. Look at him, knocking over Chiana, never stopping to help her. He never missed a step, so wrapped up in what he wanted, in his emotions. 

"What's going on with John?" Chiana asked Aeryn. Her head swayed, making Aeryn , her pulse hammering from the stress of the confrontation with John. "Tell me," she hissed.

"Apparently, this has nothing to do with John. I'm just returning to my unit. Things will be the same as they were before. Normal." Aeryn shrugged her shoulders, jaw tight, refusing to give into the same emotions that had sent John storming away.

Furiously, Chiana pointed to Aeryn. "You trelk! After all he's been through, you tell him you're leaving him--again? Just when he gets back? You're a real—a real fekkik, you know that?" And she sprinted away.

Aeryn rolled her eyes as Chiana disappeared down the corridor. Deep down somewhere within her carefully constructed shell around her emotions, she despised herself, hated what she had done. 

She could feel Adu's disapproval radiating from him as well.

"Well, I didn't know it would turn out this way. I can see you don't approve of this. You're not talking. You know, I used to hate babbling. But when it's not coming from you, that speaks volumes. What is the problem, Captain?" She asked, sharply.

"You are the perfect model of a Peacekeeper. Did you know, Officer Sun, they build with their rigid structures. Then by some uncanny twist of things, they destroy the very thing they had built."

"I've never seen it that way. Structure is what maintains order. Do you think I am destroying something?" Although her tone was cutting, she knew exactly what he meant. She had helped shape John, build him into what he had become here in the Uncharted Territories. She had always been his support, his foundation; now she was pulling that support from him when he needed it most. 

In truth, her emotions weren't capable of accepting this John again, after not only witnessing him so close to death, but the eagerness with which he put himself into danger. It was better to sever herself from him now rather than watch him die later. Better to go on alone, to raise this child alone, than go through that grief yet again in a few short monens, a few cycles. Or was it? 

And at that moment, the pain she felt when watching the chip returned. _Miserable if you do and miserable if you don't._ Peace and safety of her cold bunk bed among her empty-hearted team members, who never involved themselves in the complexity of emotional relationships, for as long as she survived. Peace and safety and the warmth of love with him aboard _Moya_, for as long as he survived. A choice? What frelling choice could she make? Only the wrong one, either way.

Shaking herself from her roiling thoughts, she faced Adu and braced herself for the harsh words she expected from him.

Adu sighed, but strangely he didn't badger her or condemn her. He only softly smiled. "I have been with him for awhile and find him full of courage with a raging compassion for others. But when things involved you, if anything got in the way of you, he became a raging animal, ready to tear the intruder from limb to limb. Aeryn, my girl?"

"Yes?" she said stiffly, fighting to hold onto her resolve, to banish her doubts.

"He is so fragile. Such a fragile creature and he's ready to break. He can only stretch so far."

She lifted her chin, "And what has that to do with me?"

"Everything, girlie. You are his breaking point."

"So, I'm responsible for him breaking?"

"Actually, he _has_ made you responsible. And you have made yourself responsible to him."

"You know, I'm leaving with you whether you wait for me or not." She didn't want to hear anymore of this drabble. It was too unsettling, too close to her own thoughts and fears.

"Well, it will take until tomorrow to reach Yontur," Adu said. "Go to him. At least make him understand. And don't be so hard on the human. I know how you feel about him."

"I ought to give you Pantak Jab for interfering with my life, my decisions," she said, without any heat to her words. 

He smiled broadly, resting a hand on her taut shoulder, and she felt a rush of warmth for him. She had missed his companionship, even though it was John who always filled her thoughts.

"Go on, lady girl, talk to him. Don't hide your feelings. He needs to know how you feel about him, not what you know about him. And tell him I need to speak with him before _I_ leave tomorrow. All rightie?" He nudged her down the corridor with his strong arm, and despite herself, she moved quickly, as if in response to an order.

***

He'd been from hell and back and then back again. Tepid water splashed against his worn skin and wounded back; he leaned on his hands, palms flat against the wall of the shower stall. Let the wet fall, washing away the grime. Disgusting. And his salty tears meshed with the shower's spray. He shook his head while the filth of Grayza and Yontur washed from his skin. Somehow the thought of Grayza hadn't touched him out there when his fears had been at their peak. But now alone in the silence, water battering his body, he could feel her touching his skin. His breath caught and his body responded, pulsed from the residue of perfume finally washing off. 

__

Sssss...get off me! 

John hissed, pounding on the stall's walls to redirect the pain into his arms rather than his loins. All it took was the memory of her, of the scent of her, and he was--

__

Turn the temperature down.

Cold water. Shock. All these were to bring his unwanted lust in check. His muscles coiled and withdrew, rejecting the discomfort of frigid degrees.

__

You don't have my heart. 

He repeated it as a mantra, as a protection against those memories, trying to ignore the fact that the one person who did have his heart...didn't want it.

He rubbed the soap on his hairy chest, harder and harder, trying to rid himself of the filth. And the shame. The thick smell of mortar and dirt dissipated with the spicy scent of soap. _Wash it off and come clean. Come on boy, don't die on me now. You've got control. It's over. Let it go. Let her go._

And then he hacked, cramped, crying inside because of Aeryn's rejection, ripping away of the last of his strength. His stomach had nothing to offer the shower's drain but white unrecognizable remains. He spit up, trying to purge himself of Grayza's lips and tongue, and her attempted annihilation of Yontur.

__

Rea'lan... Oh, God, have mercy on me. 

It had been his fault. But he had thought she was okay from his falling on her. They had taken care of her and kept her wrapped in his coat, given her plenty of water. And yet she had... The memory held onto him with locked jaws. Bittersweet. As he gasped for air, John felt his salty tears with _Moya_'s water mix in his mouth, then he coughed them forth. And he lamented. It was the first time he could grieve after the incident of the Spherical. He had commanded the switch of the signature, bracing for impact. And it had happened. All the electrical power units and generators were wiped out, and the underground walls barely stood up. But they had survived. It was most of the recovering Sebaceans that hadn't because of the quick switch. Poor souls didn't have enough time to recover. And Rea'lan was one of them.

The sorrow overwhelmed John as he slid onto the stall's floor, weeping. The child's face paled and her sweet black pools flashed and death captured her. She screamed for her sister, Kha'Lan. Then she was gone. Death had taken its toll, claiming two hundred and fifty souls. He sat with the cold water beating on him until his body pruned. And he looked up. The beads of water fell.

__

God, forgive me.

***

He finished the shower and put on a fresh black T-shirt, underwear, and a spare pair of leather pants. And he went toward his gun and cleaning kit on the shelf to make sure everything was in place. Satisfied, he strode toward his bed. He didn't want anyone to disturb him. Dinner. Everyone was eating by now, but not him. Food didn't much appeal to him at the moment, having heard Aeryn's bad news. 

At least he felt a little cleaner. John sighed and plopped down on the edge of his bed and placed elbows on knees, covering his face with his hands. A few moments later, as if drawn by intuition, he looked up at the cell door opening slowly to reveal the only thing in the universe he wanted.

"John?" Aeryn hesitated, not quite entering the room.

He raked his fingers through his hair and looked at her standing at the doorway. "Yeah?" Of all the people here, she had to be the one standing there, firing up his loins. After all that happened to him, she still looked like a sunbeam slicing the darkness. And her low sultry voice would make any man drool, especially him. And John sat there, drooling internally, gaping up at her, despite her earlier broadcasted news. _I'm a dang fool, and I know it._

"Everyone asked about you when you didn't show up for dinner," Aeryn continued, slinging her hair back from her face unconsciously. It was his delight, his long awaited secret pleasure to watch it flow back like that, rippling over her shoulder and exposing the ivory of her neck.

Swallowing, he forced himself to stop admiring her. She didn't seem to know or care about the effect she had on him anyway; she was leaving him again. Although he didn't think he could sway her determination--she was in full Peacekeeper mode, he knew from her straight-shouldered stance--he had to let her know he didn't approve, and he didn't want her to leave. Calmly. Rationally. Yeah, right. So John glanced away from her to focus on his cleaning kit and pulse pistol on the shelf. "Sorry, didn't know that much time passed," he replied, dryly.

"Actually, Noranti miscalculated. It took about an arn. We missed you." John peered at her incredulously, wondering why she came to him so nonchalantly, focusing on small talk. _Doesn't she care about me at all? Can't she see what this is doing to me?_

"I was kind of busy." His voice sounded more raw than he expected. 

"You should've heard D'Argo and Adu compete for who's the better warrior." She laughed softly. The way the left side of her mouth curved up always caught his eye, and he was riveted suddenly, the longing to touch her firing through his entire body. "There's some more of that stew left. It was really delicious. You should have some."

He tried to tear his eyes away, to focus on the pulse pistol he had picked up, but the best he could do was try not to sound totally whipped. "I'm not hungry now, looking at the situation." 

"You said you were hungry as a..." Aeryn paused and puckered her lips. Delicious, like a full tulip ready to be plucked and stroked by his lips. "...hossswsse."

John could have fainted at hearing her Sebacean accent turn sounds into something not interpreted by the translator microbes. English! It was the first time he had heard her speak his native tongue. Swimming in multiple colors, that's what it felt like. A roller coaster of excitement...then it faded to the memory of the other John. His counterpart must've taught her. They had been that close--very close--frell, obviously far closer than he had managed to be. And here he stood receiving the residue of the effect the other guy had had on her.

"It's horse, Aeryn. Hungry as a horse," he said harshly, his knuckles whitening in a balled fist.

Perhaps she finally read something in his eyes, because her face changed, becoming somber. She shook her head slightly before she spoke. "I wanted to explain why I am going to lea--"

"You don't have to," he interrupted, wanting to touch her, but restraining himself. He ached to feel the slight coolness of her skin against his, to run his fingers through the dark silk of her hair, to smell--

__

Heppel oil.

Its memory filled his nostrils, choking him, releasing a swirl of other memories; memories that couldn't be washed away with water. Those recollections of forced desire collided painfully with what he felt now, for Aeryn, until it all became clear.

She had to be leaving because of Grayza raping him. Had to be it. There was nothing else he had done that would result in Aeryn's behavior... But she didn't understand, couldn't understand, the betrayal of his own body..._And how do I apologize, make up for that?_ And as he thought, Aeryn stood silent before him, pain darkening her eyes.

So many times he had caused her pain. He had denounced her and the child. And Aeryn had heard it all in that lab. Nearly two cycles ago, she had asked him on the frozen planet did he remember what he had said in the neural cluster before he knocked her unconscious...

**__**

"Aeryn... uh, did I say or... do anything to piss you off? I-I mean, other than caving in the side of your head? "

"Are you serious?"

John remembered how Aeryn had turned toward him, brow furrowed with disbelief. His mouth had worked ineffectually, he unable find words to express his own confusion... 

**__**

"I-- "

"Do you not remember?"

And he hadn't remember a thing. The neural clone had used his body to harm her, releasing control to him only so that he could see the effects, the pain. But even then, how could he know what was still in store? It had taken hold of him again later. And after the neural clone had guided the module into her prowler's canopy, John gained control only in time to see her die. 

And here she stood in front of him searching for words, her own control fragile. 

"I want you to understand."

"Understand what? All I don't get is why you're leaving."

Aeryn held her hand out straight. It trembled. "I have to stay in control of my life. Level like this." Then she lowered it to her side. "You've always said I could be better."

"You can be. You are! You don't have to leave to be--" 

"I had a life, John, before you came. I am with a mercenary group. As a matter of fact they are highly respected."

"Uh-huh, but our baby has a life, too. You ever thought of that?"

"Yes. But I see you won't listen." Aeryn started to leave, but John grabbed her arm. He didn't want the conversation to end this way.

He captured her hand between both of his and brought it to his heart. "I'm only human." First mistake. He felt electrical shock between them. Heat struck again, but its fierce intensity was welcome, mutual, not forced. Her eyes swirled in whirlpools of gray and blue, like the wormholes he sought. "What are you doing to me, Aeryn?" he asked, his voice, gruff, heavy.

She didn't say anything, caught in the same trap, trembling as much as he as they drew together, hands separating to slide over shoulders. Feeling her against him, the soft curves of her body overwhelmed him. Unable to resist, he slowly hesitantly lowered himself to the full lips that tantalized him from the beginning. _Don't run away, Aeryn. Not now. _She answered his thoughts, falling forward into him, and in that moment his senses were filled with her, only her. A memory tried to coalesce, a hint of oil; he breathed deeply her scent instead, the sweetness of Aeryn. And she responded, her desire for him quelling any of his doubts. _She still wants me, after Grayza, after everything...._

He was shocked by the things she did. How she grabbed him, her hand moving through his hair, possessing him. And he kissed her hard, shackled to her always. His tongue tasted the sweet curves of her mouth. Hot flashes scorched him while his nose slid down her slope, cartilage bending against hers. Cheeks chafing, lips wet, they slid from one side to the other. He devoured her, his hands tracing the softer curves of her body, pressing her against his chest.

Ohhhh...he couldn't take it anymore. They'd end up in bed with nothing resolved. Yet hot kisses were the only trap to hopefully snare her from her flight. His desperate need for her bloomed until his heart stung. _This had to be right, not just a quick frell._ He needed to let her how he felt right now if only to keep her from running away again. Releasing her lips, he stroked the side of her face while her mouth gaped insistently for more of his.

"Aeryn?" Her gasping caused his loins to pulse more, and she had to know it, molded against him. _Slow down. Keep your cool._ He caught himself. He closed his eyes and settled in the warm crevice of her cool neck. _Don't run from me, baby, I love you beyond hope_, he thought, praying the right words would come. 

"Baby, what can I do to make you stay?" he whispered it into her ear, his voice low and rumbling.

"Nothing." Her lashes fluttered against his cheek, her hands still roaming his body, warm contrast to her tone.

Frell! She said it so coldly. He froze at her response, his heart dashing into a million shards. Mechanically, he released her and stepped back to see the result of their passion. Her Sebacean lips were flushed, and her cheeks rosy from excitement. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. _Why won't you stay? You're carrying my child. What the frell am I supposed to do? How do I let you go this time?_

"Adu wants to speak with you--"

"Hah! Adu. Of all people, you have to bring up Captain Kangaroo NOW!" 

"John, he needs to see you tomorrow before he leaves."

"Before you both leave, right? So you expect me to take a licking and keep on ticking, huh? I'm the Energizer Bunny, I keep goin' and goin' and goin'. I'm nothin' to you, right?"

"No...no, that's not true." Her eyes were threatening waterfalls again. That was the one thing he couldn't witness, her crying now, because, like Humpty Dumpty, he would fracture beyond all repair.

"Look, let's forget this. Go on. Take Adu and fly off to your precious cause. I can't force you to stay. You've won." He laughed bitterly and looked up. "My kids are scattered across the universe." He looked at her, his lips tight, unable to hold his pain inside any longer. "What an irony. All I want is you and a family."

"I'm sorry." She was quaking. They had hurt each other so badly again. Maybe that's what they were best at doing.

"Yeah, so am I."

She left as fast as that with his heart under her sleeve and nothing in his empty cavity to salvage. Taking his cleaning kit and pistol, he walked toward the door. He would've stopped by the kitchen for a hard drink, but he wanted to be alone and not run into anybody. He had to do something, needing to feel like he was flying out there with the stars, not trapped in a life he didn't choose. Shoot! With some dismay, he looked at Winona. He was an astronaut, not GI Joe.

***

The stars blazed as John watched them from the terrace. Fuchsia, violet, azure, and, gold...man, it was beautiful. Brilliant...flowers to decorate her hair and jewels to adorn her beauty. The swirling of nebulas and quasars splashed across the black velvet of space, a gift for safekeeping to hand to her. 

__

It's a way to say goodbye to my love. What a gift for you, Aeryn, to have been born among the stars. 

John sighed and envied her strength. He wished he had that drink.

He sat, looking out there, his window to freedom. He was crushed, wishing to be home on Earth, no worries, no pain, no torture...just a geeky guy surviving life's thrill of an astronaut. But he wouldn't fit there anymore. He'd killed too many here, seen too many horrors. 

Looking at the hands that had splattered blood from one end of the Uncharted Territories to the other, John wondered if he had somehow planned his way of life to become one to kill or be killed. To destroy rather than to build? To hate rather than to love? Could he ever return to his former self? He decided with a shake of his head. No. Fate, choice, life, whatever it was--he was no longer the astronaut John Crichton.

John's back started aching again and his crotch stung miserably with unfulfilled desire, but probably was the wound inflicted by Grayza for his DNA. Once more her abuse reminded him how things really were out there in the Uncharted Territories. He laughed humorlessly. _I'm really messed up._ He wasn't the same geeky guy. He was hardened, sometimes cruel, and right now? Unwanted. Unloved. 

John sadly lowered his head and looked at his pistol to front of him on the floor. He sat crossed legged with his kit and pistol on a towel. With a series of clicks, he took out the cartridge and proceeded to apply the cleanser. He rubbed and rubbed to take off the stench of Grayza's mouth. Satisfied, he continued polishing his Winona to a high sheen and was happy to see the reflection of the stars limn the ebony surface. He stood up, stretched his back and set his feet apart to anchor his stance. Ready for the next step, he extended the pistol with a straight arm in front of him.

__

Best to say goodbye to her fresh and clean. 

Craving the love of his life, John's lips slid down the smooth weapon, tracing the long sleek lines of the pistol. The touch was sweet... _Cool like Aeryn_. Holding his pistol by its handle, he caressed the barrel against his cheek, slowly... _Graceful, like her_. Then he laid the pistol in the flat of his palm. Balancing the weapon to test its weight, he thought of the many times it had saved his life... _Strong, reliable like my Aeryn._

He had become more of a man because of her. John had gained an inner strength from Aeryn, to endure pain, to discipline himself as a hunter rather than a scientist. She had taught him to survive. And without her, he would be dead.

John traced his fingers along the deep groves that ran parallel along the length of the alien gun, flowing to make it a work of art... _Ebony like her hair, her sweet hair_. His chest heaved as he looked at the weapon, and then he aimed it toward _Moya_'s thin membrane to the stars. 

__

You just killed me with one shot to the heart, he thought, aiming to the stars. "KA-POW!" he said, loudly, mimicking the loud report of the pistol and the reaction of its recoil.

"Your leaving me is that fatal, Aeryn," he said to himself. The rush of heat came to his face, and then the tears threatened to fall. "Why are you doing this to me?" John quickly raised the pistol level to the floor, pointing at the stars when a familiar voice in his head abruptly stopped his next move. That one unexplained memory, potent in its brevity, snapped John out of his self-pity. It was when they were on Yontur while they were guests at the Gratuities, dancing, where this had taken place. It was the one thing Adu had said there that was never explained...

**__**

"You want lady girl, you've got to have grace, patience. Work her like your pistol. No jerky movements. No self-pity. "

Now, he realized what Adu had meant. If he wanted her, he had to let her go... gently, not violently like his past two times. _Work her like your pistol._ John took Winona and pressed his lips against her barrel... 

Then the weapon fell from his fingers and dropped lazily onto the towel. It still hurt coming to this resolution. He still felt empty. And from all the trauma, death, weariness, his legs buckled and he fell to his knees to plop back on his haunches. His face wet again, he sniffed and then laughed and coughed, caught in a strange swirl of emotions.

__

I've been to hell and back. And I don't think I make it out of this. He embraced himself and wrapped his arms around his aching stomach, shook his head and rocked and rocked. 

It could've been arns since he sat there with the stars; he didn't care. All he wanted to know was one thing. Would she come back to him? 

__

I need a sign so bad. Something to say she'll come back to me. 


	11. To Be With You

****

Chapter 11 - To Be With You 

His tongue passed thoughtfully over his lips, peering at the heavens that boasted of their brilliance and immortality. When he'd be dead and gone, that same quasar would still shine its light on one generation to the next. He sighed, resting in the dark that played against his mind.

Something startled him from behind, caused him to turn to the chirping, squawking noise. He wondered why he hadn't seen them before, four lit eyestalks wavering with the terrace floor lights. 

"Come here guys," John said, waving them over to him. The two roly-poly bug-like DRDs whirred toward him, scampering in his direction. It was One-Eye, a bright Volkswagen yellow, and 1812, covered in red, white, and blue with 1812 he had written on its back.

John smiled. It was good to have some company, his two sidekicks. "Okay, pals, are you spying on me?" He tapped on One-Eye's yellow carapace and with its two eye stalks, it blinked twice. "No?" 

Then John patted on 1812. "Hey, thanks for showing D'Argo the chip. I wouldn't be here without you guys' help." He picked up1812 and spoke to the crablike eye stalks. "How 'bout you? Been spying on me?" It replied with one blink. "Ah-hah, gotcha!" And he set it back down. "I think you both were in on the conspiracy. _Moya_ knows I'm here?" One blink came from four eye stalks. "All right, you see me. I'm doin' okay. Now run along, guys." They hesitated, then squawked with a series of beeps, and 1812 turned in circles as if to say okay. John chuckled at the two of them, his own little buddies always watching out for him. They scurried back to an opposite side of the terrace where he could barely see their eye stalks as One Eye quietly whirred and squawked, the connection to _Moya_, an extension of her eyes and ears.

__

Moya. He could feel her soft humming through the terrace floor. Not her normal throbbing of a machine, like an air-conditioner or a loud refrigerator. Her pulse was different this time...slow...methodical. The soft vibrations pulsed through his legs then upwards. It seemed like she was massaging him. Tickled. Felt good with the exception of his back and crotch. He turned toward the edge of the towel lifted it slightly up and patted the floor. "Strange, don't know if you hear me, but it's hard to have loved and lost." John remembered the Leviathan losing her hybrid progeny, the gun ship _Talyn_. "It hurts." He sat back up and noticed the dulled lights in the floor flicker very slightly. "Yeah, I know." A chuckle escaped him as he thought to himself how crazy he was talking to a living ship that had DRDs acting as ears. 

He flipped the lid in the cleaning kit, which unfolded like a tackle box. Rummaging through its small compartments, he found just what he was looking for. They were still there for safekeeping, his treasures: one for the pain of their fate and the other for the joy of their future. John picked the coin that he had tossed before _Moya_ got sucked down a wormhole and Aeryn in her Prowler had left him behind. They had rested their decision in the hands of fate to say whether they'd stay together or part. _Call it! Heads or tails._ He held it in his left hand now, its metal cool against his fingers and flipped it high into the air once more. _Fate._ But it didn't matter which side was up as it landed with a dull thud on the towel; his attention was drawn to the golden band that Kha'Lan had made for him from Aeryn's flight pin. Taking it out of the box with his right hand, he closely examined the lights of the stars sparkling from its edges. Bittersweet memories of a sacrifice. _Rea'Lan._ John heaved a sigh, finality coursing through him, and held the ring in his hand. 

"Aeryn, I want a life with you. To be with you. Always," he said to himself, his voice whispering away. Then he put the ring in his right pants pocket and reached for his pulse pistol to lay in his lap. As he settled in the sadness of the loss of life and who was responsible, the memory of Grayza stabbed him, that foul play over his body, the roaming of her hands finding places he never offered with consent.

__

Heppel oil. 

No matter how much he had washed it off in the shower, the scent and the denial of Aeryn in his mind was still there...

__

"You would forsake Aeryn Sun and your child for me? Would you forsake Aeryn Sun? Commander, I will slice the child from the mother's womb. Do you want that?" 

"No! Please, don't hurt them. Please." 

"I ask for the last time before fatal injury is inflicted. Would you forsake Aeryn Sun and child?"

"Yes."

"You will explain all the details of the wormhole for my scientists?"

"Anything."

And John shivered. Guilt and shame stripped him of his dignity.

__

I could kill myself, be rid of this nightmare. No more chasing wormholes in my head ever again. 

John heaved a sigh, finality coursing through him

His fingers slowly traced Winona's hard planes and then wrapped around the grip. He hefted his faithful weapon, feeling her balance once more even as his wavered crazily. _It would be so easy to lift the gun a little higher, squeeze the trigger a final time. Take away all the pain. Aeryn's too. She can finally bury all of me._

Then, even as his hand tightened on the pistol, within him a sense of righteousness raged along with his hunger for Aeryn, his love for his unborn child, his desire to be made whole once more. And in that odd moment of peace, the weapon was released from his suddenly nerveless fingers to drop softly onto the towel once more.

Staring at Winona, slightly shaken, he chuckled humorlessly. _I'd frell that up, too! Probably damage Moya more than me. Genius me._ So he dismissed the thought, knowing he wouldn't pull the trigger. Something greater than Aeryn, Scorpius, and Grayza kept him alive inside. What was it? God's un-fickle finger of fate. Ironically, being free of pain and abuse would be heaven sent. So he sat there in the lonely spot of his mind...lonely and still, the fuchsia, violet, azure, and gold lights of the stars swirling bright before him.

***

__

Am I weak or strong? He made her weak; her mind failed her in his presence. More than her Peacekeeper commanders--officers, team leaders, captains she had reported to--he had the most power over her. This one lone human touched her like no one else. He alone had negated a whole lifetime of regimented ways and had given her rebirth. _I am not the same._

The tears came as she stood there at the terrace door. His lone silhouette contrasted against the blazing stars. Four separate strings of lights on the terrace floor circled John and ran down the runway toward her. John's favorite pair of DRDs, they took a position on the opposite side of the terrace from him. 

She turned back to the silhouette of John. Strong shoulders slumped, head cast down, the sadness of his form squeezed her heart. Even in his defeat, to Aeryn he appeared far more beautiful than the lights in boastful display. _Can I tell him how he makes me feel? How he touches my heart?_ No. She shook away that thought. The words would jumble and confuse the translator microbes, for the feelings they evoked were beyond her own comprehension.

__

What have I done? 

In his quarters all she had wanted to do was explain to John that she needed leave and she lost control. She was ready to give an explanation...and...his body reeked of that hypnotically wonderful scent of fresh soap mixed with his masculine smell; the scent of John Crichton. That intoxicating scent had drawn her into his embrace, and she had realized, as she had inhaled, that both John Crichtons were one and the same. 

The remembrance of her body pressed against his cold, still figure had sent a jolt of crippling fear through her. She recalled seeing his life leak away, the brilliance die in his eyes, as death swallowed him whole. The fear of seeing that happen again had overwhelmed her, and she had again pulled away from him, unsure if there would be anything left of her if she should lose him that way again. And so she had tried to deny this union of their souls. 

__

I don't even have a soul after what I've done to him. Aeryn thought, grimacing. She realized now that her timing had been off. John was already broken because of the lives lost on Yontur, and now he was alone because of her fear of him dying. And the physical pain, Aeryn had witnessed after he had been thrown into her cell because of Grayza's rape, was too extreme for this lone human. She had seen all the pain coalesce in his eyes just arns ago when he had asked her that one self-damaging question... 

**__**

"I'm nothin' to you, right?"

And there he sat in the dark and silence, suffocated slowly by a cloak of hopelessness. And then Aeryn could feel a change in the pattern of _Moya_'s humming and the thrumming of her relaxing vibrations. 

__

Are you singing to John? Aeryn thought, smiling. _Moya_ comforting the man she will always love. And the sheer tenderness of the Leviathan's care began to melt her own cold resolve.

Aeryn moved silently toward the human that she believed in, trusted in spite of all his frelled plans. And in spite of his imperfections...he was beautiful to her. In her heart, she saluted him for his courage and commended him for his knowledge and wisdom. For many arns, she had secretly praised him for his resilience against adversarial forces. And she trembled in amazement of his unexpected gentleness. None of these things had she ever been able to tell him, for to do so would have meant opening her heart once more to loss. But, now, she thought that maybe Adu's words meant something. 

__

Tell him how you feel. 

Earlier, Aeryn had thought to correct the injustice she had caused John and wanted to at least help with his physical pain. It had been difficult to tell the old woman what had been done to John, but she recounted it briefly, a soldier's report. In the kitchen, she had waited as Noranti searched for some oils stored among Zhaan's old medical supplies. 

The old woman had talked incessantly as she mixed herbs to heal his newly agitated wounds, and then had handed her a delicate purple bottle. "Special oils fit for kings," she had said, smiling gently, "for the one who rules your heart."

__

I'll make it up to him. I'll fix it. He will regain his dignity. Strength. I must have strength. 

Perhaps, she should face her fears as she had once told John right before the neural clone took control of John...

__

"Yes. Listen! He put a neural tracer chip in your brain. You know this. You know he isn't really here."

"I see him! I see him!"

"Well, fight it! Listen to me. We've reached the surgical facility. We're going to see if they can remove the chip."

"I have to smash him!"

"No! Scorpius isn't really there, John. I need you to face reality as it is!"

"What's happening to me?"

"You know what's happening to you. Scorpius put that frelling chip in your brain."

"Aeryn... what do you see... in the mirror?"

"There is no mirror. There is no Scorpius. Look! You must confront your fears-- with strength."

That is what she decided she must do...confront her fears with strength. To speak her heart, and choose her own fate. 

***

__

Cold. Cold. Too much air, John thought distractedly as a draft caught his back. Automatically, he flexed his shoulders against the breeze, unsure of how long the terrace doors had been open, too caught up in his own pain. Suddenly, he caught a distinct spicy, delicious smell. Greedily, he inhaled, even as his heart started skipping beats. _Aeryn. Steady, boy. Steady._ And solemnly, without turning, he spoke, his unseeing gaze fixed on the spread of stars.

"Bags packed?"

Her voice came from behind, trembling. "Don't say a word. Let me talk."

She crouched and cautiously set the tray down on the towel next to him. A graceful jerk of her head and all that glorious hair swung to fall behind her beautiful shoulders. His hands ached to play in all that silken surprise. And her soft, sultry voice was balm to his ragged soul, even now, even as she was leaving. John slowed his breathing to stay in control, to appear unmoved.

"I have something that will help," she said.

"Yeah?" 

She was at his side on one knee, picking up what looked like an eight-ounce bottle of something. Then her face was a breath away. She looked down at the bottle while explaining.

"It's Zhaan's oils used by priests of the tenth level to venerate rulers, regents, and kings during their ceremonial inception of ruler ship."

"What has this to do with me?" John asked, looking closer while she took the small stopper off the glass purple bottle. It did appear to be made for kings by the way the swirl-shaped crystal flacon was decorated with a faux pearl and small diamond-like stones on the stopper.

"Everything." She placed a spot on her finger. "Do you think the aroma is fitting for a king?"

John slowly sniffed and the heady scent, soft, floral, and spicy rushed to his brain. Fresh like peppermint. "It's great. I like it. What's in this?"

"Noranti mixed some herbs in this to nullify the residue of Grayza's oils. Since she bathed you in her Heppel oil, you must still be feeling some results."

He froze, petrified, unable to think. The shame exposed itself like a gaping wound. _And she's talking about it._

Aeryn placed her hand on his forearm. "What she did was inexcusable, worse than treason." 

John withdrew his arm, shaking his head. He bit his lip, holding back the tears. _Don't break down in front of her; it'll only cause more shame._ Vulnerable like a child, he lowered his head with heart drumming in his ears while _Moya_'s vibrations thrummed through the back of his thighs.

"I'm sorry," he said, choked, unable to look at her.

Aeryn stroked the side of his face, long, cool, and soft ones against his rough jaw, that sent heat flashes through him. But he was ashamed, memories coursing through him.

Suddenly, she shifted her position and was behind him. "I'm going to lift your shirt up and apply this. Let me work it in. It should help."

She lifted his T-shirt up above his shoulder blades and then he raised his arms and she completely pulled it off. They were cool, her hands, wet with oil. John's muscles recoiled at the touch of the slick cool liquid when it hit his sore spots... _Hurts like crap._ Her flesh slid against his flesh, that certain softness that spelled only woman. Methodical wetness, a touch of skin this time that wasn't Grayza's hands, but those of the woman he loved beyond hope. It was Aeryn's mouth that kissed his wound, slowly; and he felt her lashes, cheek, lips, nose on his back. Moments later, she slid down and her hair tickled him while she softly stroked his skin with her nose. _Sssss... hold your horses, boy! Keep 'em down._ His groin was pulsing with aching excitement, straining against his leathers already.

__

Aeryn. She always had a way with her hands. Wet with oil, they massaged his back, seeking the rifts in his flesh. God, how good she felt. The oil had burned when first applied, but now the cool soaked soothingly into his skin. And that heavenly scent: Aeryn and oils, he'd never forget it. Logic and emotions were warring against each other in John's mind, the logic of her leaving tomorrow against the tantalizing magic her touch was wreaking on his body. And logic lost. He surrendered his body to her demonstration of love, reverence, and adoration.

It hammered a triple beat as his eyes rolled upward to that thrill of pleasure. _Oh my heart. _She soaked him, bathed him in her sweetness. His back arched at the pleasure of her healing strokes. 

After she wiped her hands on the small hand towel on the tray, she came around to face John. Kneeling before him, she captured his face in her hands. Her hair blanketed him as she came slowly down for his mouth. No one could've given him a better moment to have her so close. _She came back to me tonight. This is the only sign I need. She came back._ She was his boomerang love.

His mouth searched for the recess of her warm lips. Their tongues meshed and danced, that warm wetness of flesh, and his lips pressed, sucked her swollen ones, succulent and ready. His tongue intertwined with hers again, finding the joy of discovering his love anew. 

__

We're making out and she's not running away! He kissed her again, hope flooding him. And joy, the like of which he had felt only once: that one night they had made love on the false earth, the first and only time he had made love to her. They had been cautious, nervous, desperate, at the mercy of life and death... And she had come for him on the false earth when she, at first, had said she would not. 

__

My boomerang love. 

John embraced her tightly, not wanting to let her go. Then Aeryn gently twisted out of his embrace. She looked at him and her eyes shocked him. He cupped her face and nearly gasped at what jewels the universe offered. The lights from the stars refracted in her eyes and he saw everything he desired in her eyes. _Oh God, do I deserve her?_

"John," she said, her voice just above a whisper. "I have one more place to anoint."

What was she saying, one more place? John sat stunned, looking at her for a long moment. "How do you know? I thought you didn't see that part. The torture part, I mean."

"Grayza was kind enough to explain how your DNA was extracted. I only applied the sealant when you were unconscious so I wouldn't embarrass you." John started to open his mouth and she put her fingers on his lips. "Shhhh, it'll do you good."

She slowly unzipped his leathers, locking her eyes with his. And then she applied the oils to her hand and proceeded with the best frelling massage this side of the Uncharted Territories.

She slipped her palm bathed in the healing oil into his pants and worked to message the oil into his wounded crotch. Instinctively, he gyrated with her rhythm and leaned his pelvis into the pressure of her hand. Firmly, she kneaded him like his aunt's kneaded bread dough, and with a similar result. Ssssssss...he hissed. _God!_ He rolled his eyes to heaven and hoped his hardness didn't show. Pain shot through his nerve endings then a quick splash of cool relief poured through him. His head lolled back. _Oh, this could go on forever._

"Oh, BABY!" he yelled. 

To anchor himself, he placed his hands behind him on the floor. His back arched as she worked it into his wound. And they made a mighty rhythm. _She's so fine. Could die right here. _So he wouldn't release on her, he stopped his movements and grabbed her face. _Take it slow, buddy._ He felt himself tremble and let the waves of pleasure rumbled through his body. "Aeryn?" He released a breath and held it one more moment to let the waves subside and drew her closer. John smelled his scent and oil on her hands that moved to his face and stroked his hair back. John leaned slowly to kiss her while his throbbing abated.

She had forgotten to wipe her hands on the towel, and now it was too late. He already captured her lips and she kissed him back, feeling his pulses of pleasure throb against her as he drew her across his lap. It was his excitement and scent that drove her to claim him. And when he cupped her face with his hand, he breathed her name. And she was amazed... his eyes. How he communicated with his eyes. She could see his longing for her, and his anxiety stung. _What else can I do to help him through this?_

"John, it may not wipe away your memories. But you will heal. And time will cloud some of the memory of her." She shook her head, hoping he'd understand that what Grayza had done wasn't his fault.

"No, it won't." Though he negated her, his voice was gentle, soft, accepting. He was so close. So close. Why did he make her tremble? She couldn't breathe as he pulled back to face her. 

"John, don--" Before she could finish, he stopped her by touching the soft fleshy part of her lower lip.

"You." He leaned into her and kissed her lips softly. 

"You, Aeryn." He breathed her name, the soft love in his voice sending prickles down her spine and causing her to combust like a newborn star. With his hands caressing her shoulders, he groaned against her silken hair. He moved and lifted himself from her tresses and then perused her face, the reverence of his gaze making her feel more treasured than all the money in a shadow depository. 

"You wipe her out." His eyes betrayed the secrets in his heart. Aeryn received his sincerity, and her tears flowed as no words could stumble out in answer.

*** 

It was her tears that lanced his heart. John shook his head and leaned his forehead against hers. He cupped her face again, wondering for cycles what that frelling neural clone had said when it had taken control of him. He had to know why she didn't trust him enough to stay.

"Aeryn." John tightened his hold on her face and stroked with his fingers her cheeks and jaw. Afraid. He was afraid to ask because of the tragedy that happened afterwards; a tragedy he still felt responsible for. 

"Yes?" Aeryn closed her eyes while John still leaned against her.

"What did I say... I mean before _it_... in the neural cluster before _it_ knocked you out?" He heard her gasp and wished he never brought it up. _No wonder she wants to run away._

She released the hold and shook away the distaste of that tragic memory. "You still don't know? Then I'll tell you everything that had happened in there." She proceeded to let him know about his reconfiguring a comm signal and saying the chip was under house arrest. Then Aeryn lowered her head and told the most important moment that haunted her ever since...

**__**

"Once the Diagnosan's finished with Moya, he's going to take a look at you."

"It won't help."

"Mm... I am... reminded at this point... of a word that you actually brought to this vessel. Hope."

"I would be lost... without you." 

"Then you'll never be lost."

"No matter what happens... you... have worked your way... into my heart."

"You've shown me that I have one."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

John looked away to the stars that shone unconcerned at his misfortune. Heartbroken for her, he returned his gaze to lock with hers. "Oh, God." He bit his lip. "The things I've done to you. No wonder," he said softly, rubbing her face with the back of his hand. "How could you ever look at me again? Is that why you're leaving?" Her eye lashes fluttered, beautiful like the tips of a raven's wing. She lowered her head; he caught her downcast chin with his hand. "What have I done to you?" 

A desperate embrace was all John could give. He held her tightly as they sat on the floor and rocked her in his arms. "Oh, Aeryn... I'm so sorry."

She laughed against his shoulder, becoming wet with her tears. Then she looked up at him. _I can't hurt her again, can't take this._ Reaching for his face, she smiled, bright and beautiful. "What? It wasn't your fault. How can you be sorry?" Her voice choked with tears. She was broken, too. "That wasn't even the worst. The worst was losing you. I'm so afraid of that happening again, John. So afraid that I can't keep that from happening to you."

His Aeryn, his boomerang love. He had kept his heart in a safety box to give when ready, when he could trust her, and the circumstances were just right. Right now, they were at their worst, and keeping his heart safe was no longer an option when it concerned her; this was his last shot to keep her from leaving tomorrow. And trust? He didn't deserve hers after hearing about the neural clone's actions; Harvey was quiet but still inhabiting his head. And she still loved him, even after knowing about Grayza raping him. 

No more allowance for wasted arguments and separations was to exist for them, he decided. He had to live for today, not yesterday, not tomorrow, given the dangers they met at every turn. Whether she left or stayed, he had to have some kind of proof that she would return or, at least, think of being with him. Actually, he was banking on her returning. But through all his suffering, his humbling inability to control anything, if he could just grasp this one thing, the security of Aeryn's love, he would be made whole.

Gaining confidence from his decision, his spirits lifting, John gathered his muscles to rise. Aeryn must have felt the shift in his body and instinctively knew his next move, because she sprang from his lap in one fluid motion, unasked, to face him. He looked into her eyes, and the certainty rang through him. _We belong together._

***

All his glory splayed before her as John stretched. Fine muscles rippled. The oil, mixed with myrrh and balm, shone on his skin, emphasizing the hills and valleys of his beautiful physique. His powerful chest, patterned with graceful swirls of tawny hairs, caused her mouth to salivate. He turned and bent over. _Oh my Cholak_, she thought. His backside made her fingers twitch, wanting to touch it. She didn't notice what he picked up near the cleaning kit, so focused was she on his behind. Turning, one hand closed around something, he reached in one of his pants pocket with the other, and he held out two balled fists with a childish grin that she had missed for what seemed like cycles. Yet, at odds with his grin was the solemnity in his eyes.

"Which one." He proffered them to her. "Point to one."

She pointed to the left hand and saw the coin, the one they had flipped to let fate choose their destiny, rest on his palm.

"Take it," John said, letting her take it from his hand. "You chose fate?"

"No," she said, and tossed the coin to the other side of the terrace. "What's in the other hand?"

"You want to choose this one, Aeryn? Are you sure because if you do, there's no turning back."

He was playing a game. A deadly game. She hesitated, and then asked, "All right, is it bad? Because I've had enough of bad." 

He smiled. "No. Go ahead, it won't bite."

"You sound like the Diagnosan when he says this won't hurt. Okay." Unconsciously, she slung her hair back over her shoulder and touched his balled hand, her own trembling a little. Silently, he unclenched his fingers to display the object resting on his palm.

It was a metal band. The metal seemed familiar, but the plain design reminded her of Zhaan's rings except this one was gold instead of silver. She looked up and his eyes, so full of hope, sparkled before her. Aeryn took the ring out of his hand and smiled.

"What is this? What does this mean?" She shook her head, not comprehending the weight of the matter. It must be important what he was presenting to her. "Jewelry? A gift? But why?"

"A keepsake." He took the ring from her and slid it on the third finger of her left hand. "It's to commemorate our love. No matter where you go, my heart will be with you. And I'll always hope for your return."

Oh the pain. She put her hand to her chest and breathed. "It's like Zhaan's rings."

"No, it's a wedding band." 

Aeryn gaped at his words and could only listen.

John continued, holding her hands. "There's a custom in my world that when a man finds a woman whom he loves, he offers his hand to hers in marriage."

Aeryn interrupted. "Yes, I know this tradition. And you were almost... almost..."

"I know," he said. "And... I didn't love Katralla. But instead of eighty years as a statue..." He paused. Aeryn felt her brow tighten. John continued. "The man offers his love a band, a ring to symbolize their union, their love for each other."

"Then she becomes his partner or mate, right?" she asked, her voice shaking a little.

What was that recurring word John used? _Happiness?_ Could she ever receive that. His gift had rocked her foundation, and now she was undecided about leaving. She had always wanted to stay, to be with him. But the fear remained overwhelming, driving her to run away. 

__

Death. Acceptance of it was ingrained into her from birth. Taught in her childhood, death was always there like a mercenary to put her fellow mates and herself at rest. First, imagine them and yourself dead. Then, in reality, you could accept the loss with control and focus on your duties. Death was to be embraced. She had imagined herself dead many times, during many different missions. And yet, she had not been able to accept it openly when it had stolen John from her. And she couldn't witness the same cold stillness creeping over the body of this John, as it had the other. Why was this happiness John had referred to so many times, significant? Was it worth the cost?

However, one thing Aeryn knew as she gazed into his stormy eyes that darkened, reminding her of the false earth, its clouds and rain. She wanted to be his mate forever, no matter what.

***

John marveled at the softening of her features, fragile like a porcelain doll. The stars knew just how to limn the lines of her cheeks; he almost lost what he was about to say, so caught up in her, and he shook himself. She had asked if he meant her to be his partner, mate. 

"Exactly. That translation is close enough," he said, nodding. It would crush him if she took off the ring and threw it back in his face, but he couldn't blame her. He held his breath unconsciously while he waited for her to digest what he had said. But he hadn't expected her answer.

"It took you long enough," she said, tilting her head with that slight coy smile curving her lips. 

John couldn't help but guffaw. It shocked him, her sudden acceptance. Surprises, that's what she always had for him. Then he saddened and took her hands again. "I'm not the best guy to know, Aeryn. Even Adu could tell..." John looked sadly past Aeryn to the stars. "I've killed too many, I mean..." he could feel her move, her lips pursing, ready to say something. "No wait, let me explain myself. It hurts to be like this, Aeryn. Hurting you and the others because of this wormhole information in my head. Everybody wants a piece of me." She kept looking at him, her brow crinkled and her eyes sad. Her mouth pouted, lips he wanted to taste even now. "Adu says the universe doesn't revolve around me. But with Scorpius, the Scarrans, and..." He stopped, couldn't go any farther.

"John." Aeryn cupped his face. "For me, you are the center of my universe. And frell everyone else." She was crying again and he ached terribly so for her, for himself. Aeryn took John and placed her head on his shoulder, combing her agile fingers through the hairs of his chest. Something was happening to him, he didn't know what it was. It was different from what happened in the shower he had taken. No Grayza, but the guilt of souls lost overpowered him again. And he trembled against her and cried silent tears.

"John? Oh, John. I'm so sorry."

He lifted himself from the sanctuary of her neck and saw her heartbreak. He reached for her face, to live again... and wept. "Forgive me, Aeryn, for denouncing you and the baby and for all the lives lost on Yontur because I frelled up big time." 

"What do you want me to say?" she asked, softly. "For me, there's nothing to forgive you for. And for your conscience, I forgive you of everything that has come against you." She stroked his hair, holding him tenderly.

"Don't leave me." John held onto her tightly. "Stay." 

She didn't speak, clinging to him as tightly as he did her. Trembling hands met to resolve their needs; he needed her more than his breath. Lips met, craving to comfort, appeasing the need to be one.

A passionate tumble took them to the deck. She sat on top of him, taking off her vest. His body reacted instantly to hers, made in perfect form. Blinding beauty. Then the terrace went dark... no runway lights, no DRD stalks blinking or flashing. No whirring and beeping... just the quiet normal hum of _Moya_. 

__

Maybe, maybe she'll stay. He breathed his hope into her skin.

Her lithe body smoothed over his like pudding ready to eat. Ohhh... she was his chocolate candy. Addicted to her, his hands roamed her ivory skin down the slope of her graceful neck. He leaned to suck that tender spot where the artery in her throat pulsed. Soft. Sweet. Smooth. After roaming the hills of her chest and hips, his hands rested in the valleys of her neck, then her waist. In a roller coaster of desire, John flipped them both over so that he would be on top, in control. Tenderly, he stroked the healing wound that had caused her to be away from him during the Spherical's descent. He leaned down and kissed it, his tongue following its pattern, hoping his touch would speed the healing. 

A frenzy of pleasure hit him when her deep, sultry moan of desire vibrated through his lips. He buried his face against her stomach for a moment, willing this moment to last, to wash away all the moments lost between them. Gently, Aeryn lifted his face after a few seconds, and the intense love in her eyes drove away the last of the pain and doubt and fear between them.

***

They came together in a rhythm. Human and Sebacean. Man and woman. Man and wife. The two met to consummate their vow and became one.

"Hold my hand, baby. YES! That's it." She grabbed it and held tightly. They stretched out their arms, beat by beat, thrust by thrust, their dance in the process of life becoming desperate. "Stay with me. Oh, AERYN!"

"Help me, John." Her eyes, dark muddy waters of gray, barely seen by the stars. He became worried in midstream. "Help me to stay." He swept her in his arms throbbing, releasing. She yelled again tossing her head, turning. "Help me. Don't let me go. John, John?" She kept calling his name and he answered. 

"Yes, yes, yes," he cried, with each loving thrust, each loving kiss. Pressured that this would be the last time, he loved her harder and the blood rushed to his head, making him feel as if he were to burst. And once he released himself, his anxiety, and his love into her, he rolled over with exhaustion, not to crush her. Satisfied, he was strangely revitalized even though exhausted. Tears formed in his eyes and he pulled her to his chest, wet with sweat. Quakes rumbled through his body, holding her close to him. "Oh, baby, I'll never let you go."

***

Swirls of ivory, bright splashes of fuchsia, violet, azure, and gold. And then out of all the quasars and nebulas, appeared the sun, bright and brilliant in all its golden glory. He had kissed the sun, Aeryn Sun. John smiled on the terrace floor beside his love, his mate, his wife. He inched closer to her and played in her long tresses, soft like silk. She grinned lazily back at him, naked as a jay bird, just as he was. 

"I brought some food for you. It's cold. Are you hungry?" Aeryn asked, idly twirling the hairs on his chest into little knots.

"Yeah." This was the happiest moment in his life, a hallmark moment. He wished he had a camera to take a picture of her and send home to his family. Ooops, but not with Aeryn naked. He had to grin at the thought of his dad's face as he received that mental Polaroid. "I'm starving... for you." 

They made delicious love again and let the peaceful sleep cycle overcome them.

***

It was when he had awakened that he found her gone. The tray and crumpled towel was still there, but she had left. And that fear hit him harder than a bullet. She had left without saying goodbye.

***

"Captain Adu Kendrell, I'm ready," Aeryn said, chin lifted and one eyebrow raised, standing at her cell door. She was a beautiful creature adorned in her battle-arrayed hair, slicked back in a tight braid. Adu shook himself at how she glowed like her given name. He noticed she had two black duffle bags hanging from her shoulders.

"Officer Aeryn Sun," Adu said, laughing inside. "What has happened to you? Girlie, you appear to out glow the quasars."

Aeryn squinted her eyes. "Not after I get through with you. Come on, let's go to the docking bay." 

"Wait. There shouldn't be any hurry to make it down there. The Regent doesn't want to see us until a few arns later. Why so early?" They walked through a corridor, leading to the hanger. 

"I have something of a personal nature to take care of." She shrugged her strong shoulders, hefting the two duffle bags.

"Ahhhh..." He paused. "None of my business, right?"

"Right."

"What about Commander Crichton? I'm sure the Regent would like to see him."

Aeryn gave him a sharp look. It seemed his rap set her nerves on edge. "Regent Mon-tan-nish-no did _not_ ask for Crichton. He only asked for _us_. You know that."

"It would have been a nice surprise for the Regent to see him."

"Adu, let's just get this over with."

"In a hurry, are you?" Adu smirked. She ignored him and marched ahead.

They reached the hanger. The _Delta_ and her Prowler were refueled and ready.

***

She didn't want to see the hurt in John's eyes when she left, but it was necessary to be debriefed and honor her duties. The length of time she would need to spend on Yontur was uncertain. It could take monens to complete her mission, abandoned because of her being wounded and taken away for over two weekens during _Moya_'s Starburst away from Yontur. 

To further complicate matters, there was that personal matter to attend to. She had located a Diagnosan who was willing to see her early that morning, to check her health and the status of her child in stasis. But she feared she might be kept there for examinations and be detained for many solar days; hence, her time on Yontur could easily stretch beyond the time necessitated by her military duties. With her tactical, strategist thinking, all possibilities had to be taken into account, from the best to the worst. After being shot, Aeryn wanted to ensure that no harm had come to the child. And if all fared well, duties completed, she could return to _Moya_ speedily. That was one more thing she could do for John, to ensure theirs and the baby's safety. 

If it was necessary to comm John, she would, perhaps, on Yontur. But not yet. She didn't want to disclose any news of herself and the baby until she had been examined and knew how long that she'd be away. And with Grayza and the Peacekeepers still hunting him, she certainly did not want him trapped on a planet with her for an unknown length of time she'd be away.

"So, we'll comm Crichton later. He's asleep." Aeryn tilted her head and closed her eyes, weary of the emotional war within her. "What do you want to tell him, Adu. It won't change things. I'll still have to leave. You know that."

Adu's smile was sure, straight, without reservation. "We have weathered Charrids, Scarran attacks, and even nearly a whole planet destroyed." He cocked his head. "Haven't we?"

Aeryn crossed her arms tightly and released a surrendering sigh. "Yes."

"But, my girlie, I have never seen you so distraught over anything like this. And it is all because of this John Crichton."

Aeryn shot a burning stare at Adu. He only laughed and cocked his head to the other side, never stopping his speech. "You tremble at the mention of him. If I were a fool, I would think you were quaking for me." And his deep laughter rumbled. "Because this fine man that I am is irresistible. Look at you. Your eyes all watery, you're trembling. Girlie, do you still want to go with me?"

"Yes." How was she going to live through this, with Adu haunting her about John at every turn.

"This human has a hold on you." He kept nodding, which was increasingly infuriating her.

"It's still none of your frelling business."

"You are a worrisome warrior, never surrendering. Even, perhaps, when you should." They reached the hanger.

***

"PILOT! Locate Aeryn!" He rushed put on his pants, commando style, threw on his T-shirt, and hopped, trying to run and put on his boots at the same time. Static, then Pilot's voice rang through with confidence.

"Commander, she is near Docking Bay two." 

"Thanks, Pilot." John ran the thirty-yard dash in record time to reach the bay. It was when he had awakened that he had found her gone. The tray and crumpled towel was still there, but she had left. And that fear hit him harder than a bullet. She had left without saying goodbye.

He skidded around the last curve of the corridor and rushed into the hanger bay. Only D'Argo and Chiana were there along with Aeryn, her hair tightly braided again, and Adu. Lightheadedness threatened John when he saw the duffle bags and Aeryn and Adu dressed in flight suits. He strode quickly to where she stood, and as their eyes locked, it didn't matter that other people were watching. All that mattered was her. Her leaving. Again. 

"You weren't going to say goodbye?" John said, heated, hurt.

"I didn't want to disturb you. You were sleeping and needed the rest," Aeryn said, her words trembling.

"After last night?" he said softly as he stroked her face, unable to stay angry at her, even for a microt.

She leaned into him, relaxing her full weight on him. "Uh-hmm." Her strong fingers caressed the back of his neck, and she pulled him down and gave him a full kiss with those luscious lips. His whole body set on fire again as he crushed her to him.

"I don't know if I'll ever see you again. I'm afraid for you to go, Aeryn," he whispered, his lips brushing her ear.

She put a cool, trembling hand on his cheek. She was so sad, so heartbroken, like him. "I'll come back. I promise." Her voice was unusually high, choking with tears. 

Still holding her, John raised his head to look over her shoulder at Adu. "I don't have to like this. Her leaving."

"Hey," Chiana yelled, "You don't have to go. John's here, we're here. Come on, there's nothing down there to keep you. This is where you belong, Aeryn."

Adu laughed. "Sounds excellent, but our Aeryn Sun is stubborn," he said, with hands on hips.

Swallowing hard, Aeryn raised her head from John's chest. "John, I'm sorry, but I have to go. The Regent has recalled us, and I have duties I must fulfill." John kept stroking her hair, keeping every last microt of memory in the time bottle of his heart.

"Aeryn," D'Argo nodded his head of tentacles, "we need you here. You know that."

Chiana wavered with her lithe body and angled arms, shaking her head sadly. "Let her go, D'Argo. She won't listen."

Adu lifted his arms. "Officer Sun, they do need you. More than you know. Look at what happened just monens ago when a crewmember was in danger." 

Adu pointed at John. "You, brother man, I'll speak to you after this. Since everyone doesn't know what the other does and is worth. Let me make it known." He gestured to Aeryn, deepening his accent. "You, lovely lady, are fit to be a Regent's mate. Brother man, when we were in a sector of space running off some Charrids, she had found you suffocating in your module and dragged you from--"

Aeryn snapped a murderous look at Adu, wishing she had know earlier to stop him in time. "You will not tell or I'll kill you."

"Ah, but, girlie, I need to impress how needed you are here. To tell secrets never meant to be told. To come clean."

Shocked, John looked down at Aeryn's taut face and then quickly stepped in front of Adu. "What secrets?" he asked guardedly, glancing from Aeryn to Adu. Jaw set, she shook her head slightly, glaring at Adu.

Adu cocked an eyebrow. "I'll tell you more in a bit. Wait, wait, wait." He waved John back. "Now, lady girl here saw you, brother man, in your module. She took you to _Elack_ and I gave you sustenance and we placed you back in the module, but kept you on _Elack_. Hah!" Adu, unashamed, stood with his arms akimbo, shaking his head.

"That's when I knew it, that she is ruined for any other man. And on Yontur, watching you, John, I knew that. You are both ruined for any others." Before Adu finished, he grabbed John by the arm for privacy, leaving Aeryn gaping for words. As Adu ushered him to the other side of the hangar, John, stunned, kept looking over his shoulder at her. Chiana and D'Argo, shocked, stared at Aeryn as she sank down to sit on a duffle bag like a balloon deflated. 

"This is in honor of your help to our humble planet, my brother man." Adu handed him a patch about the same size as his IASA patch. It had delta wings and some Sebacean writing around the emblem with feathered wings. It was colorful, strange, and still alien. 

"What's this?" John took it.

"You are now an honorary member of our Mercenary unit called the Entertaining Angels. Strange, but that is what Regent Mon-tan-nish-no wanted. We have been needing a name and the Regent finally came up with one after all that has happened. Why Entertaining, because that is what he loves. And Angels, that is what he said that night of the gala, the angels rejoiced. So there is the story. You, me, and Aeryn are the Entertaining Angels."

"Thanks, but." John was ready to give it back until Adu gave that look of fiery pride, daring him to return it. So John nodded and gave the warrior a masculine slap on the back. "You've done a lot. You're part of us, man."

"And you, likewise. My privilege." Adu turned to stride back to the group, but John gripped his arm.

"Adu, man...She found me, saved my life, and...just left me there?" he asked, his voice soft with pain and confusion.

Adu nodded, grasping John's shoulder. "Brother man...it was what she thought was best. For both of you. It cost her, and she was so desperate not to lose you. Emotions...bah! Used to them, Peacekeepers aren't. Go soft now. Play her-- "

"—like my gun," John finished, smiling a little. 

Adu wagged a finger. "Exactly! You learn at last! Trust her, my brother. Trust her to do what she must, and find her way back to you."

Swallowing hard, John nodded, turning the patch in his fingers. And they strode to where the small group gathered. "It has been an adventure," John said quietly, and turned his gaze to Aeryn, who slowly rose to her feet. Guardedly, she searched his eyes, as if she expected him to be angry for leaving him on _Elack_. Faintly, he smiled, and she crossed quickly to him.

With nothing more said, Aeryn took John's hands and intertwined them with hers. "I will always love you, John."

He took her and kissed her hard and breathed into her ear. "I love you beyond hope."

"Always keep it, John. Hope." She raised her eyebrows. "I will be back." She released from his grip and went to her Prowler and then the hanger doors shut, separating his love from him.

He leaned, palms against the door too, stunned to move. Chiana's feathery touch fluttered over his arm, trying to soothe him. "Hey, old man," she whispered in his ear. "Any other male, I'd say you were nelly-whipped. But you--you just love her too much."

"She'll be back, John," D'Argo said, dropping the comforting weight of his heavy hand onto John's shoulder. "She promised you that, and Aeryn will honor her words."

John stood still for a moment, gathering strength from his friends. Then he moved away from them; he was a man. 

"Crichton, you--you look terrible. Let me make you something to eat."

"No thanks, Chi," he said, and, shoulders slumped, walked away, unable to bear the kindness of his friends.

__

Be strong, he thought and proceeded to the terrace. His head felt dizzy, and he felt sick to his stomach. He was stung by her sudden departure. _Oh God._ His knees felt weak, too. He wasn't sure he could make it to the terrace. He couldn't even think past that point.

***

__

Yontur. The planet had appeared like a blue and golden montage of clouds and dirt when Aeryn and Adu had landed. Now she stood among the ruins that smelled of dirt and bones. Squinting at the golden sphere that lit the sky, she turned toward the crunch of Adu's boots. Why had he stopped here? They were between a columned building and what appeared to be a fountain that was pulverized. The city of Armana had taken a cruel beating.

Her appointment with the Diagnosan had ended early, and that had left some time for Adu to show her something important at that spot. She planted her hands on her hips, surveying the area beside a four-wheel contraption that had sluggishly carried them over the rough terrain to this location. It was practical with huge wheels on suspensions that adjusted with the bumpiness of the rocks and gorges.

"What do you have in mind here, Adu?" she asked, watching him fingering his pouch clipped to his belt.

"Aaarrchh, I never wanted to do this." Adu reached for something in his small packet. He put something in her hand. Frowning, confused, when she saw it was her flight badge with her number on it. She had wondered where she lost it, seeing that a nasty tear had been left in her jacket. Examining it more closely, she saw that a piece had been broken off. The pin glinted in the light as she turned it. It was smudged with dried blood on its edges, whose blood she didn't know. It could've been hers.

Adu continued. "_He_ held onto this even when he was knocked unconscious from a blast. I had to tear his fingers apart from this. John held to this pin as if it were his lifeline. Your pin, Aeryn. Right where you're standing." Adu seized her left hand, adorned with the band she loved and treasured. "This, lady girl," he tapped on the band, "is what he had made from the broken piece. One of the metallurgists, Kha'Lan, I believe that is her name, made it for him." 

Aeryn wrenched her hand from him as the dust swirled from a soft breeze. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I want you to share his nightmare. He needs you. And you should return as quickly as possible."

She grimaced. "He doesn't need me. He can fare on his own without me." She was bluffing... no, actually lying. She knew he needed her and she would return. It was when that she didn't know. This was inconceivable, the rebellion within her, her emotions warring with her sense of duty.

"Then listen. John made an agreement with Kha'Lan to find his sister if she made this golden band for him. When we were on the surface bringing the recovering Sebaceans back to the lab, he had spotted the little girl, not older than six cycles. After he wrapped the naked child with his coat and started to head toward me, he was grazed by a blast." 

Aeryn turned away, looking at the devastation. She sighed heavily and covered her face with her free hand. "I should have been here." Now internally shaking, she saw the place where death had almost taken John.

"We took him and the child back to the lab underground. And despite all our efforts, she died. The blast did not destroy the planet. It was absorbed by the shield of the poles that he planned and erected. By the stars of Yontur, girlie, this was not about his wormholes, but his ingenuity. As you can see, the only damage was to the city through the Spherical burrowing down to the caves. That caused tremors throughout the area, toppling many of the buildings, but not leveling the city. They are rebuilding even as I speak."

She knelt and brushed the dirt where John had fallen and lowered her head.

Adu touched her shoulder. "Your being there would have made no difference. None. Because those same lives would have still been lost. Many of the Sebaceans we were trying to save had died. Less than half survived, the strong ones. This was worldwide, too, through the changing of the pole signatures." She felt Adu squeeze her shoulder gently and leaned into his grip gratefully, needing his strength in order to listen to this tale. "He fared well, helping us until the girl he had tried to save died. A part of him died with her. I saw it in his eyes."

"I know." Aeryn nodded, the tears threatened to fall. _It's always in his eyes._ She fiddled with the pin in her hand. _John's blood._

***

"Ahhh, my Captain and Officer Sun, it has been a force of wills here. And you both are in one piece. That is good to see." Regent Mon-tan-nish-no ushered Aeryn and Adu into his makeshift office. Everything appeared quite functional. It was a single room, not that large but with the necessary amenities, simply a few chairs, small desk and a pitcher of Raslak. 

"We've had to make ends meet here," the Regent said. "But that is much better than being non-existent. Wouldn't you say?" Beaming, the Regent came from around the old wooden desk to clasp their hands in greeting, first Adu's, and then Aeryn's "Why," he said in amazement as he lifted her hand. "This is quite a change for you."

Embarrassed, not knowing what to say, Aeryn blurted out, "John Crichton has asked me to be his wife." She noticed Adu lift his eyebrow, appearing surprised. "Actually, this is not legally documented, but this was the only way that we could..." She looked at Adu again, who was smiling, almost laughing. "What?" Aeryn demanded, frowning in puzzlement at his reaction.

"I thought that was a friendship ring. Oh, my brother man works quickly." Then Adu laughed loud and reared his head back.

"I don't find this humorous." Aeryn crossed her arms and turned her attention to the Regent. No longer did he wear the showy clothes of royalty, but the robes he wore now were practical in a dusty brown and purple trimming; a simple turban was his headgear. "Your Regent, about our mission..."

Before she could finish, the Regent raised his hand. "I have prepared a substantial payment for all of your services. Your husband? Commander Crichton had received his payment, but he turned it over to Kha'Lan's account, which will hold her nicely for a lifetime."

"Really?" Aeryn was surprised, but dismissed her shock because that was John Crichton, paying back a debt and putting things right. From seeing John's reactions, this seemed to be an empty feat.

"Though we've told Kha'Lan of her bequest, she is still distraught about her sister's memorial. Everything of the child had been destroyed in the quake. Now, according to our tradition, she will not be able to say farewell to Rea'Lan and help her soul to journey to a place of peace for the dead. We've tried to locate anything, but to no avail." The Regent exhaled and sat in the hard dark chair.

"Maybe I can help. May I speak with her?" Aeryn asked, thoughtfully twisting the ring on her finger.

***

The Regent and Adu were present, trying to appear as if they weren't in the room. Kha'Lan had just arrived, pale with a shock of curly cropped hair. Her appearance was as any tech anywhere, small framed, fragile, and not exposed to the dangers of life and death. No longer innocent, the youth now had had a taste of both. And her eyes appeared empty, lost, begging to be free from isolation and sorrow. Aeryn took a deep breath, for she once had experienced the same emotions Kha'Lan was feeling, but she had expressed them in anger and rejection of the man who was now her husband." 

"Hello, my name is Aeryn. I am John Crichton's," she hesitated, still marveling at being able to say the word at last, "wife." 

Her dark eyes hollow, Kha'Lan simply stared up at Aeryn uncertainly.

Aeryn knelt before her and felt awkward, trying to say the right words without sounding frivolous. She gently stroked the girl's arms. "I am very sorry about your sister. John didn't mean--"

The girl lowered her head and shook it, vigorously. "We didn't mean for him to get hurt," she cried, her voice breaking in spots. "They carried him in the lab with my sister. She was fine for awhile. Really." Her eyes met Aeryn's, sad and dark. "But he was very hurt until Captain Adu helped him. And... then the place shook and they had to switch the signature... and Rea'Lan..." The girl couldn't continue and wept.

"Don't, it's not hopeless for her." Aeryn caught the girl's face with both hands, then wiped a tear away gently with her thumb.

"Yes it is," she answered, quickly. "There's no rest for her. After all that we've done and she's lost."

"I have something." Aeryn pulled the pin from her pocket and proffered it on her palm. "Take this." The girl shook her head, uncomprehending. "Here. When he made his vow, my husband told me that his world's tradition of a wedding, a legal document representing our vow, a gathering of family and friends, would be impossible for us to have. There was nothing he could do but this--this ring, this symbol of our bond. This ring you made from my flight pin has given him hope and me happiness. We now can be family. 

"And the pin marks his hope of saving Rea'Lan as well. This is his blood on its edges; he clutched this pin, this hope, even as he held onto your sister and tried to save her. See?" Aeryn pointed to the rusted streaks on the metal. "This is your memorial. A memorial of hope." 

Kha'Lan looked at the pin for a long moment before closing shaking fingers around it. She nodded, unable to speak. Aeryn, aching for her loss, embraced the girl. Kha'Lan's tears of relief and grief soaked the shoulder of her uniform.

***

Ten torturous arns passed. Swirls of ivory haunted him, bright splashes of fuchsia, violet, azure, and gold. And then out of all the quasars and nebulas, had appeared the sun, bright and brilliant in all its golden glory. He had kissed his sun, Aeryn Sun. John sat torn and alone on the terrace floor with no mate, no wife. He felt so unloved, unwanted. He inched closer in his mind to her and played in her long tresses, soft like silk. She grinned lazily back at him, naked as a jay bird. But memory alone was not enough. Out of his mind, he hung his head and lamented to be free.

__

Cold... so cold... so alone. He shivered, holding his last resolve, to stay strong, alive, if he'd ever see her again... or his child. Arms folded across his stomach, he sat cross-legged on the deck. And waited. 

They squeaked, squawked, bleeped, whirring in to nudge against his rear. 1812 and One-Eye kept bumping into him with their miniature shovels as if to scoop him up. _Refuse, that's me. Just ball me up and throw me away._ John knew he couldn't stay in the land of self-pity too long. It would engulf him, grind him to nothing, until he would be unable to perform, work, and be a part of life. So he turned around to the DRD's. "Heeeyyy, buddies. What's happenin'? Trying to take care of me again?"

"John?" That sultry voice sent his world rocking and reeling. He looked up and stood, shocked, petrified. His heart hammered in his ears. "I forgot something," she said.

She was here in all her glory, if only for a moment. "What? Come again?" He scratched his head baffled. How could she forget anything and why this seesaw of emotions every time she appeared? _Breathe in, breathe out. Slowly. Listen to her._

"I... forgot something." She slowly walked toward him, hair pulled back tight in a braid. The same as when they had said goodbye on that fateful departure.

"Do you need my help? I mean to look for it. Clothes? Uh, something for your Prowler? What?"

"Would you help me?" She was only a nose away. Her sweet breath filled his senses, until he thought he would faint, intoxicated. What kind of power did she have over him? His body was singing at her closeness. _Oh, woman, you're killing me._

"What did you forget, Aeryn?" Speaking softly, his hand moved unintentionally up to caress her cheek.

"I had forgotten that I belong here." 

His hand stilled, and, scarcely daring to hope, he gazed searchingly at her. "You're not joshing me are you?"

"No. At least, I don't think I am. I'm not really sure what you said," she replied, a hint of a smile curving her lips."

"You won't leave me again? Because I wouldn't survive the next time you left."

"No. I'm here to stay," she said softly, covering his hand with her own."

"How? Why?"

"Because I've learned to face my fear and take strength. And I couldn't be without you."

"That's why you left because, you couldn't see me die again and I didn't give you a chance to help me down there on Yontur, right?"

She nodded and the tears began to flow. "And... I checked with a Diagnosan. She said our child is fine."

"Oh, baby." He swept her in his arms, rocked with emotion.

She spoke into his shoulder, her voice muffled. "I couldn't see you dying again or our child to die either." That pierced John. It stung, and it all made sense now. But he was afraid to lose her again. He had to make sure she wouldn't run away.

"And what's changed? There aren't any certainties with the lives we lead." 

"This...is where I belong now. With you. Always with you. For as long as we have. There are...quite a few things I need to say. It may help you to understand." She inhaled sharply, gathering her strength, hoping that he would comprehend it all. "The baby had to be released from stasis. I'm sorry I didn't ask you first, but—"

"Release. What do you mean by release?"

"All right." Aeryn closed her eyes and explained. "Military campaigns can last for many cycles. Imagine if even a portion of a female unit fell pregnant. Those of us born on a Command Carrier can retain an embryonic fetus for up to seven cycles."

"This could've been anyone's child? And... I'm thinking it's the other guy's. This actually could be from... ?"

"Yes, even four cycles before I met you. And only a surgeon can release the stasis so the baby can grow."

"And that's really why you left? Before _Moya_ got sucked into a wormhole?"

"Yes." She nodded.

He jerked away from her. The information was coming too fast. Stasis. Surgery. Growth. Aeryn's baby having the other guy's... or his DNA? He rubbed his forehead with the palm of his hand and began pacing, trying to piece it all together. He'd just learned of a new, alien method of women carrying babies. This demanded thought. He always assumed it was the other guy's because of timing, but he was timing from women's pregnancies from Earth. He had thought that maybe Sebacean women took a little longer to show, or the pregnancies were longer. He never suspected this.

So John stopped pacing when Aeryn spoke again. "I wanted to ask if you agreed to this, but there was no time. The Diagnosan on Yontur had to schedule surgery for me because the child was unstable in the stasis due to my injury. I'm sorry, John." Her eyes were pleading with him to understand.

He came to her and smiled. "You shouldn't apologize. I should. I don't know why I didn't think to get you to a doctor. Don't know why I thought we could just Starburst away and everything would be okay. I thought you had healed."

"Me too. But I was afraid when the wound opened again at Starburst. And--I didn't want to take any chances with the baby." He embraced her. Gently, she pushed him back as he embraced her. "I have more to say."

"More? Okay." John braced himself, his hands tightening on her back. Nothing simple or sweet came from Aeryn's lip regarding news, especially these days. Bracing himself, John forced himself to listen without trepidation. _She came back, like she said she would. She's having your baby. Trust her._

"Did you know Adu was promoted to Overseer, Palimous' job by the Regent?"

John looked at her. "No? But that's great," he said, hesitantly. Now his heart was doing a triple beat and he wondered if Aeryn could hear it. _Hurry, hurry, hurry... get it over with Aeryn. Stop procrastinating and tell me now._

"Yes, it is. As his first official duty, Adu granted my request to be relieved from duty. He said it would be his--gift to us both. He said a lot of other things too, you know him, but--Anyway, it was the Regent who--who--"

"What, Aeryn? Did he recall you to duty?" _If that slimy sucker did, I'll--_

"Well... actually," she paused, and raised her eyebrow. "The Regent gave us a document that would officially put our marriage on record. But only with our consent."

"How? What?" John shook his head, not believing what he was hearing.

"Remember you spoke about vows and the Earth tradition of marriage. Well, the Regent set up a portable imagery disk that will allow us to complete our vow, and allow for a witness. We have thirty days to erase its validity, but afterwards the document is sealed and would stand even if contested by Peacekeepers." She reached in her pocket and pulled out a disk about an inch thick and five inches in diameter. "Here, if put your thumb on this marker and...." 

Before she could finish, John followed her directions and saw the Regent's image pop up, rant on about the ceremony of marriage, and then ask the parties to sign by touching the button with their fingers.

"How do they know it's the real me?" John asked.

"By having a stored record of our molecular structure. We can erase this at any time. Like I said, the records won't be completely valid until thirty days later. And if you don't want to, I'll understand," she said, her voice shaking only a little bit.

"You think I might not want to sign? Sure you aren't thinking twice?" Shaking his head, John laughed and stroked her face, guilty of all the pain he caused her on Yontur. "I'll never underestimate you again, Aeryn. I should have made it clear what I promised instead of running off like that, making you believe something else." He held her face, tenderly. "I had to protect you, but I didn't have to do it that way."

"That's part of why you're insane." She somehow jumped the subject when she lifted herself from his shoulder and smiled that sweet crooked smile. "I don't know how you found out, but the child is yours. I didn't know myself until a few arns ago."

"What do you mean? I didn't know. I just knew that no matter who the father is, I love you, and that makes me love anything connected to you." His stomach abruptly had rattlers once again at the enormity of the task before him. "Mine? Really? Not--"

Aeryn continued. "The med techs traced the timing. It was nearly three cycles ago when our child was created."

John gasped and placed his hand on her stomach. Then he knelt and rested his head on her abdomen, hugging her tightly to him. Aeryn slowly knelt before him, leveling to his view. She tilted her head and stroked his face. "I love you so much. Before, I would have never hesitated to leave _Moya_, to fulfill my duty. But now knowing you, believing in you, I couldn't do otherwise than what I'm doing now. Coming back. I'll never love another but only you, John Crichton, astronaut, maker of wormholes, magnet for trouble...father of my child. Bringer of hope wherever you go."

"Aeryn? I didn't know you could talk so much?" he said, humorously, needing to break the tension, his mind spinning at the possibilities opening before him.

"I've had a good example."

He laughed and hugged her, wishing he could twirl her around and around. Someone had prayed for him. Because she was here in his arms. 

"You're my boomerang, Aeryn," he said, softly.

"And what's that."

"It's a weapon you throw, and when it hits the target it returns back to you. You, Aeryn, are my boomerang love." 

His fingers laced through her ebony hair and unbraided it, "You..." He leaned into her and planted his forehead on hers, "...drive me crazy. Out of all the universe, I pick the most stubborn woman alive."

She kept her forehead with his. "And I, a frelling madman," she said, softly, her voice revealing a smile.

"You're the one that's driving me crazy. Like right now." His eyes glanced to her full lips, begging him to taste them as he let down her hair. 

He seized her mouth and found her taste intoxicating, driving him to want more of her, to explore and express this new joy that overwhelmed them both. Married. Having his baby. A family, together always.

Somewhere in the throes of passion as she lay in his arms, John wondered, _Am I in heaven_? Her complexion was ivory, and she was strong, beautiful like Rome's coliseums. And while she enveloped him, her tears like rain cleansed his fears, and bright clouds of mercy grazed his lips. _Aeryn, an angel?_

Words drifted, echoed through his mind...softly...

__

You said fate is what brought us together. If that is so, then we'll be together again. 

He knew they would have disagreements, misunderstandings, mood swings, and life-threatening challenges. But right now, she was here in his arms and he was whole. He glanced at the stars before diving in to kiss her again and brought his gaze back to her and smiled. With a prayer in his heart, all John could say was thank you.

***

The DRDs scampered out of _Moya_'s opened door. One was red, white and blue; the other's carapace was yellow. They quickly escaped the two passionate creatures on the terrace and returned to their regular duties. And then her doors closed as _Moya_ hummed to them a lullaby, leaving them privately alone.

It was a time to live and a time to learn. A time to cry and time to be born. It was a time in the Uncharted Territories where a human and a Sebacean found each other. It was a time in _Moya_'s life to serve them, for trouble interminably abode with them.

THE END


End file.
